I had Ari when I was 28 years-old. I was the first one of my friends to have a baby. When I started to meet other mothers in the playground, I noticed something; they were 10 years older than me. In a funny way, I felt like a teen mom. I mean, I was in my late 20s, so I was clearly not a teenager. But yet, the parents that had kids my age were much older than I was.
Then I started to take stock of my own friends. Some of my friends started to have babies, but there were plenty of my friends who went into their 30s still unmarried with no kids. I continued to feel weird and like an anomale. Were people in their 20s not having kids anymore?
Then I thought, maybe it’s a geographic region thing. Maybe people who grew up in New York City in the 80s are waiting to get married and have kids.
Plenty of my friends are perfectly happy being single and/or in a committed relationship with no kids. They’re living life pursuing their passions or trying to figure out what they’re passionate about and do that.
Here’s another thing, even though I have kids my life is still not figured out. I’m still trying to find my way in my career. I have half a masters degree and haven’t decided what to do with myself vocationally. I know I want to write in some capacity. I’d love to be a published author someday, but I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. That’s also a U2 song.
I think the point is, there is no right path. We’re all figuring it out.
I have a friend who’s a lawyer, making a lot of money who’s still unhappy. He’s looking to change careers. To me that says something. Money isn’t everything either. You could be “successful” on paper, making a six figure salary and still not have your life figured out.
I don’t know, are the 30s the new 20s? What do you think?