Hello Darlings

Sitting here, thinking about life in my late 20s, I can’t ignore the subtle hum of anxiety that accompanies every thought about the future. This chapter of life is sold as “the time of our lives,” but for me, it feels more like a countdown, each year ticking by with no romantic prospects and an empty dating history. While others seem to be settling down, building lives and families, I’m here—still waiting for something to click.

Family gatherings have become a delicate dance. I brace myself for the inevitable questions: “When are you going to settle down?” “Don’t you want kids?” I can see the concern in their eyes, the gentle worry that maybe I’m letting time slip away. With each question, I feel the weight of expectations pressing down, reminding me that society and family alike see marriage and children as milestones I should already be reaching for. And yet, here I am, navigating the haze of adulthood, struggling even to make lasting friendships, much less find a partner.

The loneliness is real. Deep connections feel elusive, especially now, with everyone so busy or already paired off. Sometimes, I feel like I’m running behind, stuck in a world where everyone else seems to have found their rhythm. Even though I hope to be married and start a family in my 30s, I wonder if I’ll ever meet someone I truly connect with. And beneath all this uncertainty lurks a quieter fear, one that is harder to speak of: What if infertility becomes my reality? What if this longing for love and family remains just that—a longing?

Yet in the stillness of these anxious thoughts, there’s a small but steady flicker of hope. As much as I want to plan out every detail, maybe my journey doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. Maybe there’s something worthwhile in this season of waiting, a chance for me to know myself more deeply and to become the kind of person I’d want to be with. It’s a messy, uncertain road, and yet, maybe the best parts are yet to come.

So here’s to the future, whatever it may hold. To the unknowns, to the questions, and to the hope that whispers: your story is still unfolding, and maybe, just maybe, the best chapters are yet unwritten.

With Love,

Anna H.