Seems like in the past, people accepted that women were widowed and never remarried if they were of a certain age. For example, a woman widowed in her twenties or thirties, especially if they had young children, were almost expected to remarry. She was allowed to grieve for about a year. She wore black, then purple, then she was back in the game, marrying in a short time.

An older woman, on the other hand, of say 50 something, was expected to remain single. She was the widow so-and-so, and given respect as an older woman. She may have become more active in the church, becoming sort of a mother figure to the younger women. Now, we're all expected to be like the Samantha character in Sex in the City. You say I'm done with marriage, and someone inevetably chimes in about how you're still young. You can be looking like Grandma Moses, but if you're fifty-something, well, put on your cougar clothes and start stalking.

I don't know, maybe it's just me. But I sort of like remaining alone. My grandmother did it most of her life.