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Ever have trouble relating to others?

I'm in a stage of my life where I am having trouble relating to some of my friends and family. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but at certain times it makes for a little awkwardness.

My wife and I got married close to a year ago. We don't have kids, and we don't drink.

That last sentence tells the whole story. By neither having kids nor the interest to drink, you can build a clear divide between yourself and many of those closest to you.

I've noticed that people who have kids tend to drink. Some of those people admit that drinking helps them deal with the stress that children, married life, and their jobs bring.

I've also observed that those things I'm deeply interested in (reading, writing, museum hopping, movies) either don't appeal to these people or they just don't have the time for them.

As you've probably noticed from earlier posts, I am still ambivalent as to whether I want to have kids. Even if I decide to have one, I still won't be able to relate much to said friends and relatives, as their kids will already be in elementary school at that point.

I'll admit that when I'm among people with kids, I feel a little disconnected and left out. They go on and on about their kids while downing more and more beers. Is it any wonder my wife and I tend to feel out of place?

My closest friendship recently ended, in part, because my friend seemed unable to balance his family life (he has 2 kids) with his social one.

I guess the best thing I can do is aim for friends who are child-free like me and don't drink excessively.

Can you give an example of a time you couldn't relate to others?


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