Life begins again at 60, right? Well, it does if you have the right attitude and know that age is just a number.
You can downsize and enjoy the freedom of less stuff; you can start a new business or volunteer; you can pursue long deferred dreams; or you can try new things – which is one of my favorite ways to keep myself feeling youthful and dynamic.
You can even find love – for the first time, for the fourth time… whatever it is, you’re never too old to find love.
Finding First Love After 60
Helen Krasner of Derbyshire, England is a good example of this. By the time she reached her 60th birthday, she had led a successful, exciting, and fulfilling life by most standards. She had worked as an occupational psychologist, a market research consultant, and a helicopter instructor.
She had walked around the whole coast of Britain, visited more than 80 countries, and flown almost all types of flying machines. She loved where she lived, and she had a nice life writing for a living.
She also had her cats. But that was the problem. She had her cats, and all that other stuff, but no romantic relationship. She worried she was going to end up an elderly “cat lady.”
A Cat Lady Finds a Cat Man
Helen tried some online dating, but she didn’t find anyone suitable. So many of the men her age were looking for someone younger. And then, just as she was about to give up, she came upon a profile written by a cat-loving man.
He wrote well, and he sounded interesting, but he was a bit younger than Helen. She didn’t reach out to him at first, but then she finally decided to take a chance. They talked on the phone regularly for a couple of months, but he didn’t show any inclination to meet.
Then Helen got a new Maine Coon kitten, and that motivated the cat-loving man, David, to visit her. He came to Helen’s house to meet the kitten – and the rest is history.
Helen says, “I still can’t believe that, at the age of 61, I finally found my soulmate. I am now 71, and life just gets better and better.”
Grandma Goes Online to Find Her Match
Helen is a mere baby compared to Queen Lori of Indiana. Lori’s three daughters wanted her to try online dating – at age 87. She finally agreed to do it even though she thought it was a crazy idea.
After the girls realized that Lori wasn’t checking her results on Match.com, they took over and contacted a gentleman who hadn’t given up when Lori failed to answer him.
Like her, he was a former educator, loved to dance, and enjoyed watching football. After talking on the phone for two weeks, Lori reluctantly agreed to meet him for lunch.
That led to dinner dates, ballroom dancing, theatre, and Indianapolis Colts football games with his season tickets.
Newlywed at 90
After a few months, he proposed in the middle of the dance floor. Lori said it was too soon, but then a year and a half later, they got married, and on their honeymoon cruise, they even won “The Newlywed Game” contest among the passengers.
Lori says, “Now, almost two years later, we still feel like newlyweds and have recommended Match.com to others, some of whom have connected.”
Take a Chance on Romance
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. We see romance after 60 all the time. It always starts with taking a chance. And that’s not really so hard, is it?
If it doesn’t work out, you’re just back where you started. Most people grapple with taking that first step, and they even have some funny stories to tell about the bad dates they had before the magic occurred!
Romance Tips from Chicken Soup for the Soul
Be open-minded about the age of your dates.
Just be yourself. Everyone looks older when they’re older!
Share what you love doing, but also be willing to try new activities.
If you’re “rusty,” admit it. Your date is probably just as nervous as you are.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you agree that you’re never too old to find love? How are you making yourself available for dating and romance? What has worked for you? Please join the conversation.
