I grew up believing that I would be in my twenties or even my early thirties when I eventually met ‘the one’, however, now at 23 and more single than ever I’m starting to consider the possibility that it might take me slightly longer...
However, after Miranda Hart’s announcement on The One Show last week I am left feeling decidely optimistic.
Whilst promoting her new book, I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You, Hart revealed she had met “her person” when she was 49 with their love story acting as a subplot in the memoir which predomiantly focuses on her expereince living with a chronic illness. “I’m just thrilled to be a young bride at 51,” she laughs.
The overwhelmingly positive response the sitcom star recieved on social media suggested to me that the idea of finding love later on in life is becoming a many people’s preferrance rather than being percieved as a rarity.
This is further emphasised by Netflix’s brand new romcom Nobody Wants This which follows Noah (Adam Brody) and Joanne (Kristen Bell) who are both looking for love in their early 40s.
There is something wholesome about watching people fall in love in general but what I think so many people have enjoyed about watching slightly more mature couples on screen is that there’s a lot less angst involved. The search for ‘the one’ feels a lot more earnest because they have a better idea of what they are looking for and how to find it.
For so long, ‘love stories’ have been the told through the lens of young people. Rife with betrayal, heartache and of course, drama. This is particularly prevalent in the world of reality dating shows where relationships are treated like a game that needs to be won.
A perfect example of the tension which often goes hand in hand with young love is Sally Rooney’s Normal People which was adapted for the TV screen in 2020 and became many people’s covid comfort show. The show’s popularity was primarily down to people investing in Connell and Marianne’s on-again-off-again relationship, which although relatable highlights the fact that many young people don’t yet have the experience to recognise what they want out of a relationship whether it’s with the right person or not.
Although I love Normal people and shows like it I also adore Nobody Wants This. There should be more series that centre around healthy relationships between people with slightly more life expereince and highlight how positive that can be.
More often than not when dating in midlife is explored on screen, it’s usually (unfairly) seen as a last chance saloon situation. At least one of the characters is divorced/widowed or has some sort of baggage they’re hoping their newfound love interest will be able to over look - like in 1998’s You’ve Got Mail or 2008′s Definitely, Maybe.
But what these recent examples all do is demonstrate that there’s no ‘right time’ to meet ‘the one’ or fall in love. It can happen any time, anywhere at any age and to anyone. They show that the process of finding someone should come naturally and we shouldn’t put pressure on ourselves by trying to fit within a specific time frame.
The classic love story about people who settle down and get married in their twenties and live happily ever after is no longer the only love story being given air time. The film and TV industry are finally showing that love comes in many forms and it’s not just the reserve of the young and it’s good to see that being recognised and I think it’s something we should all embrace.
