All things being equal – they are not. Happiness is not satisfaction, contentment, or fulfillment. Failure is not a fiasco; nor are you a flop if you do not pursue as others think will take them to the top. Indeed, some people like apples; others do not. There is no secret agenda that accounts for the difference; nor is this a vicious plot. We might sell a society on the theory that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away,’ and still people will decide for them selves. I prefer an orange, a pear, or perhaps applesauce. Millions might choose to forego having any fruit at all in their diet that is until the unexpected occurs. “Honey we are pregnant.”
That baby-to-be could become the apple-of-his parent’s eye. A bundle-of-joy, Mom’s and Dad’s little girl or boy – or not. There is no right or wrong, no good or bad, and often there is not even a conscious decision. What will be will be for you and for me. And whatever that is it is a good thing.
We can get satisfaction in whatever we choose. No one will loose. A woman on the move says she has no time for a child. Her education, her career, for her the decision is clear, just as it is for the man whose plan is to remain a non-parent. Each is gratified to hear that Americans with and without children at home report similar life satisfaction. Indeed, a person can be extremely satisfied with their lives whether they are a parent or not. However, there is variance. Statistics are malleable. There are interpretations and meanings. Americans aged 34 to 46 with children at home report that their life satisfaction at higher levels than those without children at home. This too speaks to the differences.
Higher highs, lower lows, and a more consistent balance. Place these fruits of life on a scale and what do you