| Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: Without getting too far into the weeds of recent news events, I have to say that as a single 36-year-old who wants to be a mom someday, I am feeling increasingly hopeless. I went on a few dates with a new person recently, and by the end of the second date, I found myself having to explain to him that the reason I’m not married with kids yet is that I hung around too long in my first postcollege relationship and lost those years. Who wants to view or describe themselves that way? I am so sad. It’s not just about whether I have options in my own life (I live in a state where things seem stable for now) but about how I am increasingly viewed as a person who hasn’t made everything happen for myself yet. — Hopeless Answer this week’s reader question Here's your chance to channel your inner Carolyn Hax and respond to a reader question. | 
