Life Reimagined: Embracing the Unexpected Season

by Contributing Writer: Mandy Resmondo

From childhood, many of us, especially women, were taught that the natural progression of life was to grow up, get married, have a family, and build a life around that path. Anything outside of that formula was quietly frowned upon. If you reached a certain age and hadn’t “settled down,” it was often met with concern or judgment as if something must be wrong. Those messages were deeply embedded in how we measured life success and fulfillment.

For many years as I was growing up, I envisioned a future that included a lifelong partner, a shared home, and routines built for two. Like many of us, I assumed marriage would be a permanent chapter. A foundation on which the rest of life would unfold. So, when my marriage ended, it wasn’t just the relationship that unraveled, it was the vision I had held for what my life would look like.

I found myself facing a divorce at 42. Navigating divorce in your 40s comes with a unique kind of grief. You’re old enough to feel the weight of time, young enough to still imagine more ahead, and smack in the middle of reconciling what you thought "would be" with what "actually is."

Redefining the Narrative

Post-divorce, there’s this unspoken pressure to keep moving, to stay distracted, to make it seem like you’re "doing great." I did what many do when facing an unplanned change: I filled my calendar, stayed productive, surrounded myself with noise. But eventually, I realized I wasn’t truly living. I was just checking boxes, existing in a cycle of busyness without fulfillment.

It took time, but I began to shift my mindset. I stopped feeling guilty or carrying shame around my failed marriage and started asking bigger questions. What makes me feel whole? Where do I find peace? How can I live in a way that is meaningful to me?

The Power of Slowing Down

Singleness offered me an unexpected invitation to slow down. In doing so, I started noticing the things I had once overlooked.

Mornings became sacred. I created space to think, to walk, to drink coffee without rushing. I learned to find joy in ordinary moments from folding laundry in silence to reading a good book at my own pace. This wasn't the life I had imagined, but it was becoming a life I genuinely loved.

There was no longer pressure to meet anyone else's expectations. I set my own pace. I designed a life that suited me, not one that fit into someone else's version of what it "should" be. That shift alone was powerful.

Learning to Enjoy My Own Company

One of the most profound changes in this season was learning to truly enjoy my own company. It’s a different kind of confidence when you can sit in a restaurant alone and feel completely at peace. Or travel solo and not feel lonely but empowered.

Solo travel, in particular, has become one of my favorite forms of self-expression. There's freedom in creating your own itinerary, in waking up in a new city with nothing but your own curiosity to guide you. I’ve learned to strike up conversations with strangers, try new things without fear, and embrace adventure on my terms. The world feels more accessible now, not less.

Creating a Home That Heals

After my divorce, I bought a home on my own. It was a milestone, but more than that, it was a declaration. A life that is whole and fulfilling is very achievable, even on my own.

I filled that space with warmth and light, with colors that made me smile and furniture that felt like comfort. My home became more than just a place to live. It became a sanctuary, a reflection of peace and safety that I had created for myself. There is deep healing in creating a space where you feel grounded and free.

Finding Joy in the Small Things

There is something so beautiful about crafting a life that is slow, intentional, and rich with simplicity. Whether it’s waking up without an alarm or deciding on a whim to take a weekend road trip, I’ve learned that the small moments are often the most meaningful.

There’s joy in having an empty calendar and there’s joy in filling it with things that matter like dinner with a friend, a quiet walk, a good playlist, an afternoon nap. The permission to create your own rhythm is one of the greatest gifts singleness can offer.

Sharing time with my mom

One of my bucket list items - visiting all the Major League Baseball stadiums

I love running for physical health, mental clarity, and just fun

Anchored in Faith

Of course, this journey hasn’t been one I’ve taken alone. God has been the constant through it all. The One who reminded me that no matter the season, He is present.

Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

This season has been one of rebuilding and rediscovering. It's been about learning to listen more closely to God's voice and trusting that singleness is not a punishment, but an opportunity. It is a sacred pause where I can draw nearer to Him.

Welcoming New Joy

It took me three years after my divorce to feel ready to bring another living being into my world. I worried about disrupting the quiet I had come to cherish. But then I welcomed a dog into my life, and everything changed.

His presence brought energy, laughter, and a renewed sense of purpose. There’s something deeply joyful about caring for one of God’s creatures, about having a reason to get up early and go outside. He reminds me to play, to live in the moment, and to love unconditionally.

Embracing the Season Fully

I know this season won't last forever. Life changes, evolves, surprises us. But for now, I’m fully here with heart open, hands unclenched.

If you find yourself in a similar season of singleness, know this. You are not behind. You are not lacking. This time is not a waiting room. It’s a rich, sacred space that can be full of joy, growth, and wonder if you let it.

I’m choosing to embrace this season not as a placeholder, but as a gift.

And, for now, I’m not ready for it to end.