kevbo,
A whiny kid?
I got in at age 15 just because I didn’t think anything could be more interesting or challenging as the life of a pilot. Washed and fueled planes at a small uncontrolled field while learning to fly at a employee discount. Quite a few airline pilots in the area. Later, while flying Che is at night, another company pilot sponsored me into the ANG UPT program. A lot of fortunate connections, hard work (ever scrap ice off a plane at 6am at 2F?) and luck to make retirement now. While I was never the type that flies for pure recreation, it’s been everything I hoped for.
Great people, great travel, a few great leadership positions and chance to help another generation. I sent about 18-20 people, guys and gals, thru Reserve UPT. Three are now DL captains, hired 3 years ago in the first group since ‘08.
To the OP, it’s a lifestyle that either agrees with you and your future family plans or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, few careers can make one more miserable. When I was at EA, I always noted the loudest whiners, looked aged beyond their years. The whole career didn’t agree with them and then, at middle age, their life was about to go bankrupt. I flew with guys who started as baggage handlers, learned to fly and were hired as company employees with little flight experience in the pilot shortage of the ‘60s. They had no other lives. One thing I committed to after that was to have a life and a “life well lived” didn’t require me to be on a seniority list “along for the ride”, come what may and I had no control over it
GF