Childless or childfree?

I was diagnosed with Turner Syndrome at the age of 7. But I was too young to know all the consequences of such condition then. When I was 12, I noticed that all the girls of my age were turning into young women, except me. Other girls were growing breasts and getting their periods. I was stuck with a childish body. I began asking questions. That's when my mom told me that because of Turner Syndrome and its missing chromosome, my body is unable to produce the hormones that make a girl go through puberty. My ovaries never developed well, so they don't produce oestrogen, and I don't have eggs in me. That means I can't get pregnant in the natural way.
Eventually, I began taking synthetic feminine hormones. Thanks to that, my body developed. My breast grew bigger than I had ever expected, and I got my period. But that's not cure for my infertility. I still have defective ovaries and no eggs.
The day I was told I'm infertile, me and my mom cried together and hugged. However, I learned about alternative options to become a mother:  I can try IVF using an egg donor, or embryo donation, and I can adopt a child in need. Having such options gave me comfort. I even felt excited about adopting a child in serious need. I pictured myself giving a loving home to some African kid or Chinese girl, or even a starving kid from the north of Argentina. It felt right. I considered it a given. Even when I was single, rejected by every man I ever wanted, I contemplated becoming a single mum. Never doubted it would happen, not for a second.
Now I'm older and much less naïve. Guess what? IVF doesn't always work. You can spend years trying, only to suffer miscarriage after miscarriage. And you need a lot of money for it. In Argentina, the government started doing them for free under certain conditions, but couples still have to buy the drugs needed, which are expensive. In the UK, NHS provides IVF.... UNLESS your partner has a kid from a previous relationship. To the UK government, if there is a child in the couple's life, you don't really need another one. My boyfriend has a son. So we would have to do IVF privately. We don't make much money, so our chances to afford IVF are slim. Adoption can get ridiculously expensive too, specially international adoptions, what I wanted the most (So my child's birth family is very far away). Also, harsh reality: not everyone gets approved as adoptive parent. I have a history of mental illness (depression and anxiety), and a low income.
The fact is: motherhood is a joy I might never experience. When it occurred to me that I might never get a child, I began to wonder... what if I never become a mother? How would my life be like?
Society tell us that all women should be mothers. We constantly hear things like "My life didn't have any meaning until I had kids" or, the worst one: "I didn't know love until I have a child". That may be true for some people. But you CAN have meaning, real joy and true love in your life even without kids. If your life is all about your kids, wonderful. But other life styles are as happy and meaningful. Life has so many things to experience that do not include a child. Being childless is not the same as being child-free.
First of all, here's what movies, commercials and mothers never tell you: motherhood comes with a lot of very hard work, sacrifices, and sleepless nights. Mothers are often exhausted. They don't live in a special cloud of happiness, where nothing is ever wrong. Mothers seldom talk about the hardships of motherhood because they fear being judged by society for daring to admit that having kids can be challenging.
I remember all those nights my mom spent awake because I had an ear infection. She was awake the entire night looking after me, while I screamed in pain, and she still had to go to work the next day. If you are lucky to have a wealthy husband able to support you, you can choose to stay home. If that's not the case, or if you want a career, you have to balance the obligations of your job with the constant care your kids will require. Motherhood requires stamina.
Think about all the couples that are DINK (Double Income No Kids) by choice. They may be onto something.
Being childfree gives you all the time in the world to focus on your chosen career and become very successful. You are more available to work nights, weekends if you must, to travel, or take classes at the university... anything you need to earn a promotion. The majority of the most successful women in the world never had kids.
Also, kids are expensive. Being childfree allows you to save a lot of money. You can use the money to enjoy the many other things life have to offer. I lived in Colorado for five months, took a creative writing course in New York. In the last two years, I moved to the UK, visited Amsterdam, Paris, Ireland, Scotland, Tenerife... None of that would have been possible if I had children. Yes, I know parents can travel, IF they have enough money to pay for their children's travel expenses as well as their own. I've observed parents of small children at the airport, and on planes. They barely get five minutes of peace. And in addition to their own suitcases, they are responsible for everything the children need. Once in the destination, they are somewhat limited to child-friendly activities, to whatever the children want. Unless one parent decides to leave the kids with the other and do an activity by his/her own. Of course, if a couple wants to enjoy some tour for adults together during a holiday, it's possible to hire a nanny for a few hours, some hotels assist you with that... which bring us back to how expensive having kids is. Since traveling is very important to me, the idea of giving that up, or having to constantly take care of a tiny person's needs while I try to enjoy my trip, is not very appealing to me. I would probably feel different if I were wealthy, with tons of money to spare for the kids' expenses, and were able to hire help. But that's not the case.
Another thing to consider.... I love spending my free time wearing payamas all day, binge-watching my favourite TV shows, rather than watching Dora The Explorer or a Disney movie over and over again, helping a kid with homework or reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar for the 20th time. 
Don't get me wrong, I love children. I loved looking after my godson when he was little. My time working at a nursery was amazing. But that's because I got all the fun and none of the hardships, no financial burden, no sacrifices. I'm not 100% convinced that I want all the hard work of motherhood, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
I'm sure parents accept gladly the downsides because they love their children and parenthood brings a lot of joy. I myself might decide one day that the sacrifices and hardships are worth it. I don't rule it out. BUT I don't believe that children are the only way to experience true love and happiness. Being a mum is one way to live, no better or worse than being child-free. I believe there are plenty of other things in life that can make you happy, fulfilled and complete. It's a matter of opening your mind and find them.