I am 42-years-old and I am a single Asian man. I am content in my life and am not thinking about marriage.

But it seems the whole community and my entire extended family are thinking about it for me.

Even the divorced ones are having a go at me for not being married.

I am told I am selfish for living life on my own terms, even though I look after my parents.

My married siblings seem to think they have no responsibility at all towards my parents because I apparently have more spare time than they do.

I am not begrudging them. I will always looks after my parents, but I think their attitude is a selfish one.

Speaking of being selfish, I am also told I am selfish for not having children. 

I can't see how other people are suffering by me not having children.

I have been accused of all sorts of things so people can explain my being single.

There were rumours that I must be gay or in a secret relationship with someone outside my religion.

I have begun to hate going to weddings or social gatherings as that is where I become a prime target.

The irony is I am getting pressure to get married from the very same people who are visibly unhappy in their own marriages.

It feels like they are jealous that I am not suffering from the relationships stresses they have to endure regularly.

I don't know if this attitude is ever gong to change as my peers are reiterating the same thing to me.

Why can't a single man or woman just be left alone?

I hate that my culture considers marriage as the only worthy milestone in life.

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