The attraction of a couple, one to another, makes observing the process a very interesting pastime, especially among the elderly. Men who are suddenly in a single stage after years of a home life are lost without any idea of how they will handle things by themselves. They are easy prey for the ladies who are driven by a homing instinct to have a nest with a male partner.

The only difference between these oldsters and young lovers is the urgency the older people feel for instant companionship. Most older men have a slight idea of how to go about creating a relationship but are usually hesitant of when or where to start. It is an entirely different story for the elderly ladies; they have a plan already worked out and are just surveying the field before they start their program. When they have finally decided on a candidate the ladies go after their man in a way that he thinks was his idea, while she coyly goes into the full-scale program. If the chosen one begins to wear a little thin on positives, the lady will cease the relationship before it really gets very far, and the man will seldom know what happened. Watching these elderly pairs trying to work out the differences of what they desire in a partner and what is available begins to involve the spectators into choosing sides, pulling for one or the other.

When the couples finally pair off it becomes “paradise,” with smiles you would not believe. Happiness seems to be good medicine, as aches and pains are forgotten and long-lost agility is suddenly found again.

After a relationship that has lasted for many years, where each partner does what he or she knows will be agreeable with the other, it takes some time to settle into a new situation with a different mate. When the young marry the man is usually easy to mold, but with the elderly it is a different story. Each partner has been accustomed to their idiosyncrasies being accepted because that is the way they are. Here’s where trouble in paradise starts and the first squabble gets under way.

After living as a single for a time, some find it hard to keep saying “Yes, Dear” to everything. Usually, after a few days of short answers and a little pouting everything works out and the first idea of the attitude changes that must be made comes out. These little spats happen every so often but the elderly know that they don’t want to go back to a single life, or at least the men do. Most men have little aptitude for setting guidelines and just go along with whatever keeps the peace. The ladies are a lot more determined and normally make the partnership work, by their guile and intuition for what is necessary to make it all work out.

After a routine does work out these elderly couples seem to appreciate that they have a second chance at happiness. The older they are the harder they seem to work to make it all work and it is a blessing to see the happiness that can come from these couples. This comes to a time when both the man and woman are happy with a new partner and it may take a while but the newness will evolve into a feeling that the agreement will be a permanent one. Elderly people may seem to be different from the current younger citizens and they really are. These older people have gone through times when they had to work harder, do with a lot less and find a way to be happy with what was there for them.

We should all be thankful for all the blessings that came our way and pray for the days ahead for the young of today. May God bless you all.