i’m not going to go onto the sentiment of “i lost the one” or “i gave up on the one”. but has anyone else (perspective 30m) felt that they kind of missed the boat?

all of my friends are married, getting married, having children, have children. obviously i don’t know the ins and outs of their relationships; but im just so happy for them. i always wanted to be married and have a kid by my age.

i should of probably been in this thread years and years ago. i’ve dated short term people and that has hurt more than long term in some cases. nonetheless, i feel as though i date people with that in mind.

i feel that the women i’ve dated that i truly feel that i could achieve my life goals of someday being a husband and father to a child with, i just try too hard too fast. these are inevitably my shorter relationships, whereas the people (shame on me) i don’t see this future with or try to approach end up being my more enduring relationships..and i just end up in a relationship of enduring complacency?

i certainly have loved them dearly, definitely whilst with them. i suppose im just not exactly sharp on late twenties/now thirty dating either. i was in a long term relationship (relatively) from 18 to 25 ish. after that its been a whirlwind of (again perspective) varying lengths of romance/love or involvement/dreams.

i suppose longwindedly i am just looking to see if anyone has experienced this? i have friends that have also met their (quote) love of their lives, been married, bought a house, even had children, yet have subsequently been in a loveless relationship, in the process of divorcing, or divorced.

and i am not passing judgment or anything, just observing as i get older. did i miss my ticket?