Singles, when you're out and about, do you feel any level of jealousy while watching couples hold hands, etc? (woman, love)

[Mary20852]

I was out and about yesterday, just enjoying my Saturday, but I must admit that I felt a little jealousy, watching all of the couples around me. I wanted to go ice skating, but when I arrived at the rink, it was filled with smiling couples, lovingly holding hands and skating.

I decided that it would be best to ice skate during the early morning hours, to avoid all of the couples, but it seems like wherever I go as a single, there are so many smiling couples!!

How do I get over being jealous of these strangers, who appear to be so happy and in love.

[Philosophizer]

If it's people I don't know, I don't care. It's a little uncomfortable/awkward being around couples I do know. Generally speaking, I hate being a third wheel.

[Djuna]

I think you mean envious;

'The main difference between envy and jealousy is that envy is an emotion related to coveting what someone else has, while jealousy is the emotion related to fear that something you have will be taken away by someone else.'

Such a wasted emotion. Enjoy your own life, you never know how miserable that couple holding hands may be.

[Plzeň]

No.

I occasionally get jealous if I see a guy with a drop-dead gorgeous woman, especially if she seems cool and he seems like a douche. (Hey, I'm not proud of it, just being honest.) I'm not bothered by 99% of couples, though, and probably don't even notice 90% of them. There would have to be something unusual about them to even catch my attention.

Extreme PDA (full-on making out in very public places) is obnoxious, of course, but it doesn't make me jealous so much as nauseated.

[Raena77]

Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

[BioMechanical]

Not even on my radar. I am oblivious to that kind of stuff.

[Gabriella Geramia]

I'm the opposite. I look at a couple and wonder if they fought today.

[Djuna]

Sometimes I look at single people and wish I had their freedom. It works both ways

[TRosa]

I had a moment during the holiday season. So over it. But it does make me smile when I see some couples holding hands. Not enviously, just looks sweet when some people do it.

[metamorphosis]

Having recently split up, I do occasionally notice other couples. I wouldn't say that I'm jealous or envious, because I kind of feel that things happen for a reason, and there are always people who have more/less/or different than I.

I think the feelings I have are more reminiscent and more wishing things wouldn't have ended the way they did. When I see (especially an older) couple holding hands or walking down the street together, I wonder what life challenges they had that they as a couple were able to surmount. I wonder if one was unfaithful and other forgave them. I wonder what makes them strong as a couple.

I think about how committed they must be. I wonder how many years they've been together. I think of how I thought we would grow old(er) together.

Of course, I don't think ALL of these things each time and I don't dwell on it. Some of these thoughts just sort of race through my mind.

For example, I saw Congresswoman Gifford on TV a week or so ago. Her husband was right there by her side. She certainly has some challenges ahead of her still. I wondered if they are so strong and so committed that he only thinks of being there for her, of having her back. Or is he there, but boinking someone else on the side. (And I'm aware that the thought isn't fair to him.)