Single And Happy
They ask me, wide-eyed and curious:
“Why aren’t you married, Mr. Kyle?”
As if my solo life is an unfinished puzzle,
As if happiness is a wedding band or a plus one
I laugh, but sadness pools in the chambers of my soul
Not for me but for them
They’ve also absorbed the stories
“Happily ever after” doesn’t mean “Happily ever alone”
Kids have been told single sparks sorrow slowly
Who shared this false information?
Is it a family heirloom passed down for generations?
Was it the movies, where romance reigns as the only narrative?"
It’s as if the compass of joy only points towards companionship
I don’t need a partner to complete the song
In friendships, I find melodies that sing,
Each moment shared feels like I am longed for
Our hearts woven together in the ties they bring
Who said that friends can’t be sufficient company?
Who planted this idea in their minds?
Is it whispered about at dinner tables
Stitched into bedtime tales,
Or buried in the lyrics of love songs we sing on repeat?
I tell them I’m not lonely
“But don’t you feel sad” they ask
No, I feel free and alive
Because I’ve learned to love that quiet roar
Of my heartbeat,
The way my thoughts ballet when I’m alone
I am not waiting to be resolved
I’m not lonesome, I’m limitless
I soar through skies untethered,
Like a bird unbound by cages
Or a painter with a blank canvas
Every day, I choose the colors of my life
Attention little ones: Marriage isn’t the only story
Love isn’t always found in another person
It’s the friend whose laughter feels like home,
Or the child who gifts you gratitude in crayons.
Or the restaurant owner who gives you a free sample of their Korean Rice Balls
Just because
One day, you’ll learn that contentment isn’t
a diamond ring
It’s the freedom to write your own tale
And to the adults-
Why do we paint solitude as shadow,
And not as light where one’s own brilliance grows?
Why do we teach that romance is a trophy but
Self-love is second place?
Teach them that solitude is not a void,
But a garden where their own roots can grow
in solitude, I’ve found symphonies in silence,
And adventure in the uncharted corners of myself.
So, no I’m not married and maybe
I never will be
But don’t mistake my singleness
For absence of joy
My life is a masterpiece in progress, painted
With the colors of freedom,
Each day a new stroke of adventure
On my canvas