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Readers were pleased that we revisited an unsettling 1986 cover story on the purportedly slim chances that single women would marry after the age of 30. Many related their personal experiences. One single woman wrote, "Thanks for coming clean on the 'terrorist' myth. You have no idea how that article was used by family and friends to warn me about my impending life of loneliness and doom." Others described their life choices. One woman who will wed a day before her 49th birthday mused, "There is a lot to be said for ignoring what society and everyone says you should do and doing what 'feels right' with life decisions. I'm glad I waited." And a 59-year-old newlywed added, "Many of us have chosen to first establish independent lives before linking our lives to another person. Among the discoveries we've made at midlife is that the primary relationship we create is with ourselves. All others follow. They enrich our lives rather than define it."
Marriage After 30
At the beginning of 1986 I had pretty much decided that I would never find myself in a good marriage ("Rethinking 'The Marriage Crunch'," June 5). Then, at a dinner, where I was one of about six women in a roomful of men, I met the man who wouldn't take no for an answer. Now, as I approach my 20th wedding anniversary, I count my blessings: a long, rewarding career in municipal finance; four great kids (two of his and two of ours), and a wonderful husband who always enjoys telling the story of how he saved me from a terrorist's bullet.
Lucille Pendleton Seaton Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
Your article points out that the face of marriage in the United States has changed dramatically in the last 20 years, but doesn't mention that a woman's biological clock has not. A woman's 20s remain the best time for childbearing; chances of conceiving and carrying a healthy baby to term drop dramatically after the age of 35, even with the assistance of reproductive technology. Too many women are lulled into a false sense of hope by sensationalized news reports of women bearing children in their 50s or beyond. These births are rare occurrences, not the norm. It is irresponsible to send the message that you can have it all if you wait.
Jana Delfino Atlanta, Ga.
Although you are right that the odds have dramatically improved for older women to...
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