I always thought that if we were childless our lives would have been essentially meaningless, having made no contribution to the continuation of the human race or our bloddline.
What a tragedy, to have effectively betrayed your thousands of ancestors by terminating their bloodline at yourself

Your ancestors are dead and don't care. The tragedy is bowing to peer pressure and having kids if you don't want them. I wouldn't give mine up for the world, (also 18th generation, for this continent at least, with ancestors coming to New France in the mid 1600's and viewed as a founding father,)but absolutely respect those people who know themselves well enough to know they don't want kids. Too many unwanted kids in this world already, without more piling on because it is expected of them.

At one point, Youngest told he he did not want kids, given the way this world was heading. I expressed my belief that he would be a great father, and there were kids out there who would really benefit from his compassion, either as a foster kid or adopted. He didn't need to add to the world population to be the great parent he would be. Family is family, whether genetically connected or not.

A meaningful life is up to you to define.

IP