Has Cupid wandered into your life recently? Or are you one of the many single men and women who will not be rushing into the Hallmark store at six p.m. on February 14^th?

The greeting card industry, florists, and purveyors of fine chocolate taunt us year after year with the not so subtle suggestion that we can only be happy if we are one half of a couple.

Is it possible to enjoy life as a single woman or a single man? To that question all I can respond is…

Hell yes!

But with that answer comes a caveat. As a woman who has been married twice and who currently enjoys her single status, I do venture out in the dating world periodically. Having met quite a few men through an on-line service, I’ve been astonished as well as comforted by the fact that men of any age, especially those over 50, are still searching for the love of their life.

Not surprisingly, so are my single girlfriends. It doesn’t seem to matter what gender you are, whether you’ve been married once, twice, or even thrice, everyone is hopeful that some day they will find their soul mate. Even some widows and widowers are betting that in their lifetime they can find not just one, but two true loves.

As an active participant in the Hot Flash set, my days are filled with numerous social engagements. There are no demands on my life other than the demands I put on myself. I have a fruitful and joyful life.

And yet, I willingly admit that someday I would like to meet a man who can make my heart and body sing the same way Puccini does.

Can I survive without meeting him? You bet your sweet bippy I can (that’s for my fellow Laugh-In generation).

Will I continue to look? Of course I will. Because he could be out there.

And if he isn’t, there’s always Puccini’s masterpiece Madame Butterfly to console me. As well as the fifteen social groups I belong to.

Life is good and since I’m a perpetual optimist there’s one thing I know for sure.

It can always get better.

Cindy Sample is the author of DYING FOR A DATE (available June, 2010)