This is such an intimate, actionable piece, and as a young woman who isn’t really ready for marriage but who loves her partner dearly…I really appreciate the insight you’ve given me here! I’m honestly so afraid of kids’ impact on my life’s dreams and my relationships that it makes it hard to “know” if I even want to have them on a basic level.

I think I’ll have a family one day and work it all out, but hopefully it’ll be after I’ve matured and learned more from people like you and my parents who’ve already run the gauntlet and come out stronger afterwards :)