21.
“People say you’ll be miserable and alone. I’ve never felt lonely in my own company, but I have felt lonely in the presence of men who claim to have loved me but never actually saw me. I’m also happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. All of my energy, money, and time goes back into myself. I never feel ‘obligated’ to do something I don’t want. I get to live every day with a sense of adventure. I always meet new people because I live in a big industrial loft in the center of downtown (not something many ‘families’ get to do). I’m not living some life or societal norm that was forced onto me — I can grow, learn, and change on my own. Being childless and being single the last few years has allowed me to address and heal my childhood trauma.”
“Meanwhile, one of my sisters has a child, and she’ll likely inflict similar trauma onto my nephew because she never took the time to be by herself, get to know herself, and be there for herself. In my opinion, far too many people have kids for no reason or without thinking it through — and then those people continue to inflict their unaddressed trauma onto their own kids without even realizing it. I feel at peace knowing I won’t mess some kid(s) up one day. Instead, I get to live like a kid, except I make adult money now. And finally, having all your time for you is the most amazing experience in life.”
—Anonymous, 36, Michigan
