Fabulous? Check.

Editor's Note:  Enjoy this guest post from recurring guest blogger, Marie, my longtime friend (twenty years in September!) who I'm trying to convince to start her own blog.  I bet you'd never guess I'd have a friend as opinionated and outspoken as I am.  

Headed home for the evening, I was never so happy to see my house. It had been one of those days...you know, it was as if everything that could have gone wrong did. My files were incomplete, nothing was presented correctly, and another contract was put on hold for whatever little glitch that they found. So you know in general, the perfect day. Coming into my house, as usual, I brought in the mail. Surprise, Surprise! It was a letter from my medical insurance company, as if somehow they knew that this was about to make my day even better. I opened up this letter, and it was basically informing me that my insurance premium was about to go up. That was not surprising to me considering all the medical incidents I’ve had throughout this year, however, and even more surprisingly, that was not the reason. According to the letter, my premium was going up because I was entering in a new age bracket. Really? I have a hard enough time dealing with getting older with my birthday looming on the horizon, so this was frustrating. So I get punished for turning older?

This age bracket concept got me thinking about all the other forms and paperwork we all have to fill out, sometimes daily. Not only does your age come into play, but you must check a box to inform these companies of your status: Single, Married, Divorced, Widowed, Other (I’m not sure why "Other" is even an option. What could it possibly be?). Even if you have a significant other or even if you are engaged, according to the forms, paperwork, companies, policies you are still single. It’s mocking in a way, almost the equivalent of a child taunting you with her tongue sticking out at you..."nah nah"... I understand that paperwork needs to reflect accurate information, but do you notice, Singletons, how it seems like all the paperwork, policies, and taxes are against us? Think about it. Married people get a tax break, because they are married. Well, why can't single people get a tax break because well they are single? Are singletons less deserving of a break than Marrieds?


So kill me, I’m a realist. It seems that society has a built-in “Single Exemption.” Or to be more accurate, Singles are exempt from getting any breaks. What about the single folks who are working two jobs or one with longer hours to be able to take care of themselves and their kids? Or those who work and then go out to play? Are they any less deserving compared to a married couple? Personally, I think we should get a tax break just for the added embarrassment of continually having to be reminded of our status by checking that little box next to "Single."  Being single, married, in a relationship, or divorced does not define us and neither should our age bracket.  Yet Singletons- it is the hard for us to be limited to who we are based on paper information…but paper information is just that, paper.  To truly get to know a successful Singleton, deserving of a break in society, all you have to do is look around. They are there:  hard working, dreaming, ambitious, and loving. So next time you see a box to check, I suggest you choose "Other" and write in "Fabulous."