Posted By: Susanroyle @ 11/06/2008 7:56:00 PM
Comment: In my personal experience, it's not true that being childless makes you happy. I am in a second marriage, and my husband is older than I am. He had children from his first marriage and didn't want to start over again, despite my pleas. Fast forward to 20 years later, he's retired, and we're both lonely, bored and unfulfilled. It's not that we don't get along, we do. But everyone needs more than one important person in their life. People with family around, whether it's the nuclear family or extended family, have no idea how lonely and empty your life can be without family. I have found that as people age, they spend more time with extended family, particularly when they retire. I increasingly see our friends and neighbors spend more time with their grown children and grandchildren. We are spending more and more time alone. Aside from lacking people contact in my life, there is no greater human need than to be needed. I am envious of my friends who get a call from their children asking them to baby-sit. I would be thrilled to have someone need me like that.