The author's son (not pictured) was diagnosed with cancer at age 3.
Jill Lehmann Photography/Getty Images
- I had always been interested in retiring early.
- I left my job in 2023, years after having my son and publishing my first book.
- Then, at age 3, my son was diagnosed with cancer.
As an elder millennial, I graduated into the 2008 job market armed with a master's degree in creative writing and $20,000+ in student debt. It was a formative experience — that's putting it mildly.