It’s a platitude that after losing a partner women are more
practical than men and usually cope quite well with being on their own, while
many men can’t cope at all and are totally thrown.
Many men are so used to living with a woman who organises
the house, does all the cooking and domestic tasks, and maintains friendships, that
without her they are all at sea.
They fall into complete squalor, let the house fall into
disrepair, don’t do enough washing and cleaning, and are generally unable to cope.
Some men sink into such despair they end up committing suicide.
Apparently many older men who use dating sites aren’t
looking for love but are really looking for a housekeeper, someone to organise
their life for them.
I guess the underlying reason for this difference between
men and women is the way boys and girls are brought up. Girls are encouraged to
learn domestic and socialising skills while boys are taught that they needn’t
bother.
I wonder how I would cope if Jenny died. Would I be one of
those men who sink into squalor, or would I get along just fine? Hopefully the
latter.
