The "Single" Conundrum

Ladies and Gentlemen... May I have your attention:

I  think I've found the solution for the problem we singles face today. What is the
problem, you ask? Well, it's practically impossible to meet any decent eligible gentlemen these days, for it would seem, the mass majority of them have vanished. Mysteriously missing. Not to be found anywhere.

I've looked under chairs, behind the pulpits, spied out the territory at potlucks... Nope, not a one. The only single people I keep bumping into are ehm... myself, and my dwindling band of fellow single comrades.

Let me assure you, I am not despairing here––no sirree. 

Married friends will say with that "knowing smile", "You should enjoy your singleness! Before you know it, you'll have to ask your mate permission to do everything and permission to go anywhere and life will be a lot more complicated and so on and so on."

If this has been your response as a married person reading this, then let me say–I'm absolutely sure you wouldn't lie and that this is very true. But you must understand, some of us singles have had quite a large helping of the single life, like––I'm talking a third of the lives we will live on earth already–which is quite a long time in this day and age. It is no easy task for sure to remain steadfast and content while traveling the single road.

I did not mean this to be a diatribe on the virtues of being single vs married etc. for I've enjoyed being single. Truly. Remaining unmarried through my twenties has been great! I love that I have been able to travel around the world. I've chosen to go back to school (um like three times :) Planned fabulous vacations. Buy clothes and jewelry and gourmet cupcakes whenever the mood strikes. And it's nice to not have to always answer for every penny I spend or every second of time throughout my day.

There is a time though, unless God is calling one to a life of blissful unmarriedness, that one's mind turns towards matrimony as the possibly next logical step.

Quite rational, right?

So.....

This being said...there remains the conundrum of where to meet other singles. It's just not happening (let's be honest whether you're a Christian or not) at your local bar or booty dancing club. Very rarely at the grocery store (although I've known some who have met that way) and these days very rarely at church anymore either.

Speaking from the female perspective, the pool of available men is drying up. And here we are, not even in a drafted 'wartime' like scenario like these poor women had to deal with...

members of The Spinsters Club taken sometime between 1914-1919

For example, did you know that following World War I, approximately 2 million women were left with no one to marry? School girls at Bournemouth School for Girls around the end of the War received this dismal tiding from their Senior Mistress: "I have come to tell you a terrible fact. Only one out of 10 of you girls can ever hope to marry. This is not a guess of mine. It is a statistical fact. Nearly all the men who might have married you have been killed." 

A huge number of the female population around the world apparently became unwitting spinsters because boyfriends and fiances and potential suitors were all massively killed off during the horrible War. Also many movies during the 50's and 60's apparently showed family members (spinsters) pictured by themselves in frames on mantelpieces as part of the props in the background since apparently having a spinster relative was such a common thing. (http://www.heraldscotland.com/war-spinsters-and-the-debt-we-owe-them-1.836567)

Anyways, since we are not living in times quite like that, and most of us will likely not end up as spinsters, I think we should introduce back into our society and cultural pastime something that will help us all: the ball!!!

 "On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined..."

There are still military balls and charity balls occurring today, mostly for the rich and famous––but for those of us in the general masses of middle and lower class persons––we should very much like the opportunity to attend balls for ourselves. And often, if we should so choose. It worked so well for the last 700 years or so... Club "dancing"– if you can call that dancing just doesn't cut it people. Um, not even close.

Here are 3 very excellent reasons why we should bring Balls back:

#1. It provides an excellent physical workout, the ability to increase one's balance and agility and physical endurance whilst maintaining proper conversation and gracefulness.

 #2. It provides a respectable, safe forum to get to know people of the opposite gender while participating in an entertaining pastime. 

 #3. It can be preceded by a sumptuous meal if so desired, and if you particularly like your partner you can join together with him/her and your friends for some fine dining afterwards. And because serving food at a ball makes any time, an even better time, right?

"Suppers served at private balls were an entirely different matter for they reflected on the splendor of the event. Balls generally began at 8-9 p.m. and the dancers sat down to a lavish spread at 11 p.m. or midnight. A gentleman accompanied his dance partner into the supper room, which makes one think that it would have been wise for a suitor who wished to further his acquaintance with a young lady to reserve a dance just before the meal..."

excerpts taken from Jane Austen's World blog

"The food would consist of white soup, which during Austen's time was made with veal stock, cream, and almonds; cold meats, such as chicken or sliced ham; poached salmon; glazed carrots and other seasonal vegetables, salads, fresh fruits, biscuits, dry cake (which meant unfrosted) cheeses, short-bread cookies, pies, ice-cream, and trifles."

excerpts taken from Jane Austen's World blog

Have I convinced anybody that bringing back balls into general society and twenty first century living would be a great way to get people all together in an open and fairly un-intimidating environment that could facilitate friendly friendships and cheerful recreation and possibly future unions? It could become hugely popular I think as an alternative to the "standard three": going out to the movies, going "out to eat" or going to a concert and, I think, it could attract many people who similarly would like the opportunity to get to know other people of similar age and interesting backgrounds who wish an alternative to online dating or meeting prospective mates at a bar or supermarket.

Come on, it would be super fun!

Ok, so I'm a nerd but....Is anybody else with me??? :)