[lief79]

Thank you for your reality check. Many people I know keep friends in the same social circles, and have little to no direct exposure to this perspective.

Not everyone has the strong safety net to fall back on, so not everyone can risk the long break; due to a variety of reasons.

He's right in that some people are afraid of risk and don't have much to lose. You're right that some have done a realistic risk analysis and decided that other things, especially children, are more important than optimizing their immediate happiness.

Appreciate all that you have already accomplished, and take advantage of the opportunities presented to you.