Man, I disagree with what you wrote on soooo many levels.
I'm married. Have been for 5 years. I have one daughter, just over a year old.
Dude, before I got married I didn't really have much inspiration or motivation. I went through the motions, got good grades, got an engineering diploma from the U, but none of it really meant anything to me.
Once I got married I finally had a reason to reach these goals. Do I ever feel trapped? Sometimes. There's bills to pay, mouths to feed, people to satisfy, and sometimes it becomes overwhelming, but the good times far outweigh the bad if you've got something good going on at home. Man, watching that kid get excited every day that I come home from work will beat anything I ever experienced before she was born. There are times she's a little monster, and I'm sure those times will continue for another 50 years, but the good times always, always outweigh the bad if you've got the right focus. Marry the woman you love, build a good home and that home will always be your safe haven. Maybe my marriage is still too green to speak with authority on the subject, but I learned all the important lessons from my own family, and there it was always a safe haven for everyone involved.
Some people don't need to have dependants to feel worthwhile, I'm sure. But I sure know it helped me become a far better person.
As a reply to the original post, if it's late at night and I'm going over the books, I'm always thinking about the next goal. I've bought a house, so now the next goal is to buy a second house. I'm sure after that it'll be to buy another one, or something bigger than what I've already got. I'm never completely satisfied. But when I'm sitting at home, playing with the kid, there's nothing on my mind but the here and now.
|