Women Who Settle

Why do women stay with men who don’t treat them well?  I just don’t understand.  I have a friend who has two teen age daughters.  Her husband has four grown children.  Her youngest daughter is still in school and lives with them.  The rest of the kids are “on their own” and scattered all over the United States. My friend and her husband will pay for his daughters to fly from far corners of the United States to come back home and spend an entire summer with them, yet, he will not allow my friend to help her own daughter with school clothes, school activities, prom dresses, etc.!!  This just infuriates me!!  Why does my friend put up with this????  No man will ever tell me what I can or cannot do for one of my children, ESPECIALLY, when he is still paying for his grown children to travel to and fro at their every whim and spend the summer with them, rent-free, and without having a job!!  These are grown girls, in their mid-twenties, with college degrees, yet, no job.

I would hope that I am never that desperate for the “love” of a man, that I am willing to put up with this kind of injustice.  This man is not even good looking!  He has the personality of a piece of cardboard, and best of all, he has cheated on her.  Now, what woman in her right mind would put up with this?  Why would a woman want someone who cheats on her, does not treat her children fairly, and leads her in a miserable life?  I just don’t understand.  I would rather be alone, than living with someone who is making me and my children miserable.  Why do some people have to have a mate?  I’ve been married and divorced twice.  I am done.  I am happier now that I am alone.  I don’t need a man to complete my life, yet, many women feel their lives are not complete without a man right next to their side.  Unfortunately, this isn’t the only friend I have that feels like she must have a man in order to be whole.  Many of my friends and acquaintances have this same attitude.  It just baffles me. 

I remember growing up, my mom constantly talked to me about getting an education and being independent.  She often talked about me being able to take care of myself no matter what, with or without, a man.  I think my mom was secretly a “women’s libber” before women’s lib was popular!!  Thank goodness my mom taught me to be independent and not believe that I “need” a man in order to be complete!!  I think I am much happier because of the way my mother raised me.