Reminds me of a co worker with implants, who's personal in match.com listed her "chest" as her best feature - and then she would complain to those who listened to her "dating adventures" that the men she met were more interested in her breast size than her. Oh, My! Men are beasts!

(all the while not stating that she advertised her boobs out there and thus attracted the fetishists)

Or reminds me of a female relative who was complaining to me (on a busy sidewalk) that men just treat her like a sex object, while wearing skintight leopard patterned spandex capris, spike heels, halter top with her implants hanging out, and a nightclub amount of makeup on. She would have passed for a "slutty milf" costume - except it was not Holloween.

(yeah - God knows why these women were "harassed"! I guess these are the women the catcallers are waiting to meet?)

You know, off topic now for sure, but men AND women are really just strange alien creatures to me - at least some of them. Are women like these, or the catcalling gang of men really just oblivious to themselves? Or reaching into that lizard brain of theirs to promote themselves?

In the good ole days, priests and even the popes, married, had kids, mistresses, just like the rest of the flock. To put it simply, The Church was worried about all those offspring making inheritance claims on Church property and The Church then decided that priests and popes were to abstain when it came to sex. Made it sound like it was one of God's edicts and not the materialistic worry of the largest corporation in the world.

So the tradition of abstinance? It changed once, why not again.

As far as women in power? That is a true "tradition" and the philosophy behind that far outdates the creation of The Church and the birth of Christ.

The Church should recognise its stance on women is based on the thought process of people from a time before Christ, the same people who believed in slavery, and stoning, and a few other things The Church no longer believes in.

The New Testament rewrote the contract between God and People - the subjugation of Woman as Property should have been left in the Old Testament along with the stories of the Angry Vengeful God.

It takes centuries but even the Catholic church has admitted to mistakes made in the past.

The policy on priestly celebacy has not been around since the beginning - a clear indication that the Church can and will change policies.

The stance on women in the Church is based on the position of women during the creation of the Church. It is secular and not religious based. And frankly, early Christian women did have some more egalitarian treatment - until the movement became organised and codified.

The Church, should it want to, and the old men in robes sitting in the Vatican not be afraid to, change the Church stance on women.

After all, the Church no longer owns slaves - nor advocates stoning to death for adultery, right?

If it is a living organism, it can change but because it is living - it will resist change until it has to.

I find religion fascinating. I just can't see being a follower of any one of it. So much havoc done in its name, by believers and the cynics and fanatics who direct them.

If my own society and country is an example of where human interest lies, I think Homo Sapiens are doomed to extinction - out of sheer stupidity.

The premise of this article is just another example.

LW,

It is easier to go through this stage - increasingly finding yourself invisible - alone and not looking for a life companion, than while embarking on a new phase in your relationship with your fiance.

Alone, you become the observer of the obsurdities of human connections. Above the fray. Untouched by rejection.

With someone, you become aware of the loss and wonder if you are really loved. Because, if love is dependent on something as transient as youthful appearance, then you feel you are setting yourself up for a tragic fall and emotional misery should you open up and love your future husband.

I don't know what to tell you. I am still working out these details myself. Though, unlike so many of the commenters here (so many beautiful people!), I never had that stage in life where I was considered beautiful. Men never saw me if there were other women about. But surprisingly, once they got to know me, found me attractive. Hopefully that means there is something about me that is not as transient as my youth.

43 is young. Things will change over the next decade but so MANY women in their 40's make big changes and take on challenges. I think many women find an adventurousness and curiosity about things that they never knew existed in them. It may take the sloughing off of youthful beauty to reveal the true character that exists underneath - and is far more lasting in the long run.

Good Luck!

You obviously never ran into one, Brightstar, but it may come as a surprise to you that a lot of women like sex, enjoy sex, look forward to sex, have fun with sex, and often want more sex than they are getting.