True to myself—Anonymous, 42

I am a 42 year old woman who decided not to have children in large part because I don’t see a viable future for them. I work in a field involved in protecting wildlife, but most days it feels as if I am rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. 

What kind of a wildlife steward would I be if I made more people? Not a very good one. When someone who is a parent asks me why I don’t have kids, I can’t answer that question honestly for fear they will get offended. I mumble something about never wanting to. I am told that I will “regret it” or “but you’d make such a good parent!”. It makes me upset to hear people talk about how having kids teaches a person to be “unselfish”. As if I’m doomed to be forever selfish because I am not a parent. Selfish because I feel that remaining child free is the greater good. Now that I’m in my 40s people don’t ask me about children as much, which is a relief. I’ve been a disappointment to my parents, grandparents and siblings. My husband and I are happy though and I’m proud that I was true to myself.