Ticking Clock

Today, my youngest wanted to watch Dr. Phil. Well, she didn't really, but we watched it long enough to get the gist of the program. There was a 29-year-old woman who was feeling a lot of pressure to get married. There was a 48-year-old woman who was rushing into marriage because she is afraid of never being a mom and a wife.

I'm 38. Okay, I'll be 39 next month. But, it got me to thinking about my biological clock. What if I decide to have another child? Could I? Should I?

It's different for men. My dad was married three times and had my sister when he was 36 or 37. Had he been the pregnant woman, he would have been considered high-risk. I know there are plenty of women who have babies after they turn 40, but who wants to be considered high-risk and go through all of that? Who wants to be sharing the waiting room at the OB/GYN with a 23-year-old girl? Technically, I'm old enough to be a grandmother! I don't want to be the mom who gets mistaken for grandma when I'm picking up my kid at school.

I just felt so bad for this woman who was rushing to get married. She had been dating him for 8 months and he had cheated on her but she was still going through with it. She was so desperate to be a wife and mom that she basically gave up herself. It was like she was selling her soul to get those things.

I can understand her dilemma. Some people would rather be in a bad marriage just to be married and have someone with them. Granted, I don't want to be alone when I'm old and gray, but I don't want to settle either. If I need company, I'll just get a cat.