These folks are a source of extreme cynicism for me, I'll admit outright.
The majority of them got married straight out of High School or College. They found their soul mate, or at least the person who didn't reject them as much as everybody else, and went velcro.
And now they have kids. Maybe one, maybe two.
And I watch as their relationship comes under full impact of the realization of exactly what they've entered into.
And it scares me shitless. Some of them cope fairly well. Some of them are even shining.
But a lot of them are crumbling. They didn't go in for this. Generally one of them is doing all of the work, while the other becomes an emotional wreck.
So...they're the responsible ones. Because they don't have time for fun stuff. Because they've had to sacrifice the activities they really love in order to support their family. Because in comparison to the level of stress they're under, the fact that I'm grinding my teeth to nubs and exhausted all the time is a fairly light penalty.
And I look at their kids, and I wonder what it is we're producing here. What kind of heritage it is that our consumer culture is passing on. And I know what it is to live in fear of the future.
And I thank God that I'm apparently not responsible yet.