Are we perpetuating and reinforcing society's ideas around infertility? Are we asking to be visible when at the same time we are invisible to one another?

It astounds me that in a parallel life I could have been a mother to an 18-year-old. I am thankful that I was not forced to be her mother. These days, I am learning compassion, for the naïve young girl I was, for the baby girl who was never born and perhaps even for that tortured man.

No one fits the mold perfectly and sometimes a simple, "Thank you for being true to who you are," is needed, especially when you're surrounded by people who think you are wrong. Even if it does come with a little hatemail and a lot of arguments in the comments section.

Thirty, engaged, house, dog, plans for a baby -- isn't that the dream? Wasn't I living the life most young women are searching for? Maybe not.

Children can't be let out in the yard to play until you get up at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday because you were out late the night before. Dogs can. Cats don't even need to be let out, you can ignore them.