Entering the Dating Game as a Senior Citizen

Whether you are sixteen or eighty-seven, having a positive dating experience depends entirely upon two factors: The compatibility of the people involved, and their comfort level.

Compatibility is an equal opportunity crap-shoot. The possibility of finding yourself on a date with a compatible match doesn't lessen with age, nor are your chances improved greatly if you are young, rich, thin, smart or attractive. What is important to one person may not factor in for another, so your strengths may be your downfalls in the eyes of someone with whom you are not compatible.

Comfort level, conversely, is affected by all these factors, particularly age. As we grow older, many of us come to have greater tolerance of others as our perspective on the world becomes embroidered with wisdom. Things that may have riled you at a younger age come to feel like a tempest in a teacup. Answers you eagerly sought in your youth seem less important than the process of seeking those answers. Acceptance of the self is often deepest during the autumnal years of your life.

That being said, dating can still be one hell of an anxious experience. Bodies have an odd way of aging like a well loved car that's been through a lot of mileage. First the radiator cracks, then you hear a weird ticking that was never there before. It gets a little more difficult to get things started up in the morning, and sometimes all sorts of functions you'd always taken for granted give out at once. That faithful old body will still get you from point A to point B with a little loving care, but the idea of parading it in front of someone can be frightening. You may feel embarrassed because sometimes a little oil leaks, or your stuffing is showing through in places that used to be smooth and leather upholstered. Do you really want to parade this vehicle before unsuspecting eyes?

Be assured that unless you're dating someone generations younger, your date is just as anxious about his or her old beater as you are. We are usually much more anxious about ourselves than we are concerned about the imperfections of others. Armed with that knowledge, it is possible to stride confidently forward into Senior's Night Out. Every wrinkle, every scar, every laugh-line you have has been hard earned through precious life-experiences. This is probably the greatest tip for any person who is navigating the murky waters of the dating world: Love thyself. Others will follow your example.