Oddbean

I second that. Being raised by older parents, I always felt like I missed some of the best parts of them. Phases of life and all that. My own advice would be to think of your plan A as also a plan B. Life is long, lots of things are going to happen. You may change direction often. You are more free to make the most of that opportunity, if your skills & responsibilities provide for flexibility.

Same. My dad was nearly 50 by the time I was born and died from chronic illness in his 60s. I have siblings much older than me that describe a lively, adventurous man full of life that I basically never had the opportunity to know.

i'm literally 48 now and still to meet the lady... but i already have been suffering the chronic illness and i'm part way through healing... and it was only my body that was weakened (i got pretty bad peripheral neuropathy and muscle weakness due to kidney damage from dehydration, diuretics and artificial sweeteners)... i am already starting to get back kmy strength and like a broken bone i'll be stronger from now still a few more things to resolve but so long as yer dad isn't dumb and following mainstream "medicine" advice and actually sorts out that stuff the experience brings a more stern but understanding personality forged by years of being an idiot honestly though, it's going to be a pretty widespread issue for many people in the coming years because of the poisoning of the women both in body and mind that has made them unsuitable and unwilling to participate in making a family... hopefully that will change soon