GETTING married after one becomes 50-plus is markedly different from doing so in his 20s or 30s, particularly when it comes to issues such as children from previous marriages and gaining acceptance from family. But many people are choosing to remarry at a later stage in their life as a means of starting afresh with a new person who they can rely on as a companion, Al-Riyadh daily reports. Bahiya Atiya, a woman in her 50s, said society treats women who remarry very differently from men who do so. "Usually, society does not blame men even if they are over 60 years old and even if they get married to a woman who is 20 or even 30 years younger than him. But when a woman wants to marry a man who is five years younger than she is, she will be criticized for it," she said while adding she doesn't see herself getting married after 55 because she is scared and embarrassed of what society will think. A commonly-held view among people who remarried later in life was to ignore what people or society may think. Sheikha Yousuf, 55, remarried after living as a widow for 15 years. She said there is nothing to fear or feel embarrassed about. Yousuf's new husband is 65. "A woman should have the courage when she makes such decisions. When she grows old, she needs someone to love, help and stay next to her. Your sons and daughters will be busy with their own lives and will not have much time left for you," she said. Ibrahim Eid was in his 70s when he decided to get married again. His sons and daughters did not welcome the idea initially because they thought he would go for a young bride. "They changed their minds when they found out I wanted to marry someone who was 60. I just wanted someone to give me company and help me live my remaining years happily," he said. "I am happy I made this decision and I will never regret it. My life has changed completely since I got married again. My wife and I love one another and are emotionally attached," he added. According to Dr. Abu Bakur Baqadir, a former sociology professor at King Abdulaziz University, by getting married after the age of 50, couples not only take care of each other in their old age but reduce the burden they may otherwise pose to other family members who have to act as caretakers. "I personally encourage these kind of marriages as it helps reduce the rate of divorced women and widows who are old and have no one to look after them," he said.
