[AnnieBL]

That's a really interesting question.

For most of my life, when I didn't understand what was going on, more of a curse. It made me a misfit, led me in wrong directions, and caused me to miss opportunities. Now I find it much more of a blessing, not only in the ways you so well express, but also in our own present situation of direct benefit both to me and I believe to my wife. I do have occasional ponderings about what might have been if only I had understood earlier. Surely we all have those 'if only' thoughts - another of both of us is that if only we had married earlier we might have had children of our own. Although I do have two wonderful stepchildren, both of them seem to have followed my example and rather belatedly acquired delightful but ready made families of their own, so I have no blood grandchildren either. Both were DES kids,which has been alleged to cause gender issues at least ln boys amongst some of its other more undesirable effects such as reduced fertility and various other problems of the reproductive system, although I don't think I recognize any overt gender issues in either of my two.

I'll be most interested to see what other answers you get to your question.