I think we approach the most significant junctures in our lives without realizing they're there, and often, seemingly mundane decisions end up changing the course of everything for us. I don't think everyone has regrets, but I think everyone occasionally wonders what our lives would have become had we done something differently. I also think that life is comprised of compromises and no one truly has it all. We've all given up something.
I do pretty well and I'm pretty financially stable, but my mortgage definitely won't be paid in full in my thirties. However, I have a wife that will stand by me despite whatever life will throw at me. I have two young, beautiful, smart, and healthy daughters that I fill me with happiness that nothing else can touch. They give my life a purpose that I don't have control over, and oddly, that feels pretty good. This sounds a little strange, but there are moments when I watch them and I have a sort of out-of-body experience, a moment of clairvoyance in which I see my life from a distance, and I feel so thankful for what I have and so fearful of losing any part of it.
Not everyone is cut out for parenthood, and that's okay. My humble advice is to find your own happiness, experiment with new ideas, and try to make choices that you can feel proud of afterwards. Don't rely on money to make you happy...you'll be disappointed. It's the companionship of friends and loved ones that will make you feel wanted, and the connection of touching someone's heart will give your life meaning.
|