The "S" word

Last night, I watched Baby Mama with Amy (yup, Washington Amy -- in Washington!) and one little snippet of dialog really caught my attention.
"Being single is NOT an alternative lifestyle"
"It is when you're 37!"
Of course, this was in the midst of lots of humorously biting dialog about the main character being career-driven at the expense of her personal life, yada, yada. But, I just couldn't get this line out of my head. It resonates with me... maybe with a dull ringing in the pit of my stomach.
There was a time, not so long ago, that I was really happy to be single. But, as I looked down that path of being single, it didn't look very worn. It looks indefinite and a little lonely. It looks like a place of great reward if the pioneering is successful, but if it's not, then it looks a little scary.
And, I realized recently that one of the reasons it looks so scary is because in my world, being single is not the norm nor the goal. And, if I was to be single, then I think my path may look a little different from others. It affords me the time to pour myself into my career and overcommitment at church and excessive education, yes. But, what about other things in my life? I've wanted to adopt for a long time. I originally thought that meant falling in love with a man who also wants to adopt and then naturally going through that process. But, what if I'm single? Well, guess what? I still want to adopt! I still want someone to pour my life into. I still want someone to be responsible for and to teach and inspire. I want to experience family as an adult. I wonder, though, what people would think. Would people smile to my face, but say disparaging things behind my back or feel sorry for me?
Oh, I don't know... I think I got way off on a rabbit trail. The point is that it upsets me that in my little corner of the world, I think being single really is viewed as an alternative lifestyle. And, not alternative as in A vs. B, but as in good versus subpar. As a girl in the "B" world or "subpar" world or (gasp!) single world, I wonder how it seems so easy for some people. A lot of people seem to date one or two people, fall in love and everything lines up. Before you know it, they're in love, engaged, and married with a puppy and a spare bedroom. I don't know that world. I know a world where there have been more men in my life than I care to count. I live in a world where I fell madly and deeply in love with a man and for some reason couldn't seem to make it work. I live in a world where I don't understand how something that seems so natural is so very very difficult for me. I just don't understand.