A Love Letter to the Childfree/less
We live in a world that often equates adulthood with parenthood, it puts motherhood on a pedestal, and the parent-child relationship as the ultimate display of love. But you’ve taken the road less travelled, the choice to pursue a life without children. You get messages from friends, family, society, that you’re missing out. Your life will lack a vital part of the journey. Maybe your decision is dismissed as immature, one day, when you meet the right person or grow up a little, you’ll change your mind. You may even have received the message—subtly or possibly directly—that the only fulfillment is through children. Family, friends, the media, and even strangers, feel entitled to an opinion about your life. But the truth? None of it is true. Your life isn’t lacking some mandatory box to be checked. Your life is yours to create, however you want it to look.
You are a part of a vast, vibrant, and often unseen, and often forgotten, community of people. People who have chosen to dedicate their lives to art, careers, activism, or simply the pursuit of joy. These people are the building blocks of the village. They are caregivers in alternative ways, the helpers behind the scenes, the change makers in the world. Whether its showing up for their immediate social circle, mentoring younger generations, curating spaces in their community, or fighting for the lives and rights of the world. Some are simply showing that the path less travelled, the one without kids, can be just as fulfilling as any other. Savouring the freedom to live life exactly how they please, embracing the fullness that autonomy gives them. One of the most beautiful facts of life is there is no singular way to experience love, purpose, or connection. Yes, having children is one way, but its not the only way. Our capacity to build deep relationships, to leave a lasting impact, and to experience joy is in no way diminished by the absence of children. If you found yourself here intentionally, be proud of yourself for the clarity you had. You have the self awareness to know that no matter the pressures the path of parenting wasn’t meant for you. Living with intention, and shaping a life that fully aligns with your values, is something to be applauded. If you found yourself here by no choice of your own, honor your journey. The road for you may have been fraught with grief, sadness, anger, uncertainty. But it may also have given an opportunity for growth, maybe even eventually peace. Your life is no less valuable, it has the same opportunities to be brimming with love and joy, you belong here just as much as anyone else.
You are not alone. You are not selfish. You are not missing anything. You are a part of something so much bigger. A world that embraces and celebrates different ways to live, love, and ultimately, thrive.