Old Jules, why do women become unhappier as they age?
I’m a dozen years older than you and a male so you can trust what I say to be true.
Women get unhappier, those of them who do, because they never learned to live with themselves without the belief they need someone to carry them around like a turd between two sticks, send them flowers, candy, do moonlight walks with them and be worried when they pout.
Women who come to that understanding with themselves are strong, self-sufficient and don’t become unhappier with every circuit of the star.
Men, on the other hand, have definitely become more pansy-assed than they used to be. Weaklings for the most part, because they try to live life like a spectator sport.
Old Jules, what can you tell me about how to treat a woman I care about?
I was only married 25 years, divorced 15 years ago. Still learning a lot, but I think there are some learnings I’ve gleaned from 45 years of intimate contacts with women.
1] Be attentive and listen to what they say, even if you don’t agree or like what you hear. The person probably knows you better than anyone else on the planet. Knows things about you that you don’t even know about yourself. Listen and consider what’s said, ponder whether it’s true, or untrue. And ponder whether, if true, it’s something you respect in yourself and don’t wish to change, or something you’d like yourself better if you changed. Not for the woman you care about, but for yourself.
2] Respect boundaries. Recognize the woman you care about is a human being with a life and desires unrelated to your own. Recognize for your own benefit and for hers that much of what goes on in her head, her heart, and her life is simply none of your business unless she chooses to tell you. Care enough about her to support her needs and goals even if they mean nothing to you.
3] Don’t expect your woman, nor anyone else, to ‘make you happy’. That’s your responsibility. Not hers.
4] Don’t use the phrase, “You make me feel [fill in the blank]”. Nobody ‘makes you feel’ any way. People behave the way they do and you choose how you will feel about it.
5] Remember things you might consider unimportant if they are important to her. Valentines, anniversaries, birthdays and just simple hugs, hand-squeezes and touches mean a lot more to most women than they mean to many of us men. It’s a small thing to us, but frequently a big thing to them. Not doing it is nearly certain to result in frustration and tension.
6] Remember to say “I love you” frequently if you want to keep the woman you care about feeling you are the man she cares about.
Old Jules, what scripture do you use most in helping you fight your demons?
I’m fond of the one in Proverbs: “Better to go live alone in the woods than to try living with a contentious woman.”
So Far From Heaven 