When people used to hear the term “dating”, certain images came to mind of a young girl clad flirtatiously in a poodle skirt and cardigan sweater complete with a youthful ponytail walking hand in hand with her greaser boyfriend in mandatory black leather jacket and blue jeans. The two would eventually settle down from their crazy immature running around period into a cute little suburban house replete with clamoring children and maybe a dog or a cat pawing around the rose-bush. The happy couple would spend their days working and their nights sleeping and this process would continue for the next 50 years. That is the rudimentary genesis of our modern conception of the term “dating”.
However, dating is not just for the young anymore. It is no longer restrained to the high school bleachers or the senior prom. In the modern era, dating has made an intriguing transformation to extend its varied thrills and chases to not just the young, but the young at heart. There are many reasons for why this transformation took place, from the breakdown of the nuclear family, to divorce, to the untimely death of a partner or, simply, finally building up the courage to make that first unsteady move. Whatever the reason might be, it can usually be summarized by the sweetest of human emotions: Love. From the earliest days of existence, people have sought sweethearts with whom they wished to spend their lives. People need people, it’s no lie, and it is not just for the young anymore, if it ever was. Many of our elderly friends, family and neighbors are now making the courageous plunge back into the dating world and they should be encouraged and supported. After all, what would life be like without anyone to share an ice cream cone, to snuggle on the couch together, to complain about rush hour traffic?
Well, the stigma that once kept widows and widowers locked indoors clad all in mournful black has now all but vanished. We still mourn when we find ourselves alone in the world but with a new lease on life in modern times. Many websites offer dating services specifically geared toward the elderly and are quite proficient in matching lonely people who are like-minded or who share interests. In addition to the internet, many others are helping our old people find and accept romantic love back into their hearts, often after long periods of loneliness, which can be harmful and lead to terrible bouts of depression. Communities for retirees and nursing homes often hold social dances, many times with swing music and live bands, to help make the transformation from loneliness and self-reliance to love and co-dependence much easier. Let’s face it, people are living much longer these days and the threat of being left alone is a reality we might all one day have to face. People need people, no matter how old or how young they are. Love can melt any icy heart and companionship, in an ever-changing world of technological gadgetry, is a necessity.