When my friend casually announced her pregnancy, I felt a wave of loss wash over me — another friend joining the ranks of motherhood while I remained childless by choice.
As more people opt out of parenthood, friends who choose not to have children become essential companions, and their sudden absence in my life is deeply felt.
I grappled with the isolation of being childless in a world full of parenting conversations. It’s a loneliness I often keep at bay but it surfaces unexpectedly.
Despite the freedom that comes with my choice not to have children, I can't help but feel the weight of exclusion from friendships that shift when babies enter the picture.
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