Monkey biology

I'm in this group on Facebook: "I'm not married, pregnant or buying a condo" and while it is often plagued (as many large Facebook groups are) by too much advertising, the conversations throughout can be quite amusing.  Case in point is one of the threads, "So, what ARE we doing with our lives?"  

As a caveat I feel it's important to state that I don't think raising a family is an either/or thing, which is often how I read some of the comments from certain members of this group. I think many people who are willingly childless (and hope to remain that way) look at parents as though they're somehow burdened. That they're bored out of their minds, broke (or near it), and frustrated by the downward turn their life has taken ever since they took their vows, nevermind fertilized an egg or two. While I have stated (and will continue to state) that I think some parents do feel that way, I do truly believe that there are some who love being married, who have always wanted to be parents (regardless of what might be "popular") and who genuinely find married life and parenthood to be a rewarding experience.  To them, kudos I say!

One of the comments that struck me on the board today, however, was the following:

"I have to say that I'm looking for comments from people, especially women, who are over 35. At this point the question of whether or not you'll have kids is a lot more biologically out of your hands! so you're 22 (or 19 or 26 or whatever) and deciding not to have a kid? I wouldn't place money on that being your position in 10 years when you've met "the one"...

While I have some problems with the remainder of this comment, I will admit it got me thinking.  I have been with my bf for about a decade, give or take, and while the subject of kids has come up, we've both agreed that it's something we don't want. Jointly, exclusively, whatever...kids aren't for us. But I will admit to feeling a certain degree of trepidation on this topic... What if I change my mind? I've thought I didn't want kids for my whole life. Even as a kid I had no interest in those little baby dolls that cried and needed changing, preferring to be playing with my dog or stealing my brother's bike. But what if? One of my biggest fears (which is somewhat laughable since I'm afraid of everything) is that one day I'll wake up and want a baby.

The comment on the board made me wonder something else entirely... What if I just don't want a baby with my bf? :P What if he isn't "the one"? There's something biological there, at some level, isn't there, that goes well beyond emotion. Maybe it's his pheromones that rub me the wrong way. Maybe he just isn't good at building nests. Maybe I don't like the dance he does when he brings food back to the den. Or maybe I don't think he'll be able to hold his own against the other apes. I don't know.

What if?

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I let my bf read this entry and I got two reactions:

1. "My pheremones?!"
2. "I don't care which ape you're with...you don't want any little monkeys running around."