Member-only story
It’s Not Your Job to Be Happy
Stop chasing it.
My neighbor is a hoarder. She lives in a house that’s falling apart. She’s divorced. She’s also addicted to opioid pain killers. She thinks colloidal silver and ivermectin will protect her from covid. Obviously, she’s not getting vaccinated. We’re trying to help her sort through some of her issues, because nobody really wants to live like that.
Despite all this, she feels qualified to give me advice:
“You can’t have just one kid.
Don’t you want more?”
Um, no. Thanks for asking…
She has three, all grown.
My neighbor tells me one’s not enough. She says my child will grow up spoiled and selfish. She won’t know how to interact with people. She’ll be socially awkward. Worst of all, she’ll be unhappy.
Apparently so will I.
Somehow I doubt it…
I’ve got friends who are raising two and three kids, even four. Their lives don’t seem all that happy to me. They’re struggling financially. The never get enough sleep. They’re always a little worried, even if they pretend they’re not, because visible stress is socially unacceptable. I’ve also got friends who decided not to have kids, and they seem just fine.
