I quit my $376,000 dream job at Goldman Sachs to care for my mother when she got sick. I felt sorry for myself at first — but now I have no regrets.

Courtesy of Cassindy Chao

• Cassindy Chao, 55, is a former finance executive turned matchmaker.
• After six years at Goldman Sachs, Chao decided to quit her job to take care of her ill mother.
• She said the decision allowed her to spend time with family, marry, and have children.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cassindy Chao, a 55-year-old matchmaker from Oakland...