You bring up some real key points because the sacrifice isn’t just for the individual. Its sacrificing the whole potential for an integrated family. Waiting too long as you indicated guarantees even if you have children how be it late in life they may never have grand parents. Now that is something I couldn’t have imagined because my grand parents played such a huge role in my life. I even had the blessing of knowing two of my great grandparents.
It is true there is a cost and I know how it is to sometimes envy the fact that others have nicer cars and bigger houses etc but when I weigh it in my mind would I trade even one of my 6 children for a bigger house or car or more partying? Never. I can’t even understand people who don’t want children anymore. They strike me as selfish beyond belief and seldom has that assessment not been the case outside of the priesthood. Its their choice of course and I pity them for it. They’ll never experience the joy of the birth of a child and holding that small perfect being that will look at you like you are the center of their world and love you so fully. They will never hear the ‘da-d-da-d-daa-dad’ or see the first steps or hear their baby laugh. They wont be able to hold the hand of their baby and see how it looks like a little replica of their own. There is so much richness and beauty they will miss. They will miss what at a very basic level is the essence of being human.
"They will miss what at a very basic level is the essence of being human."
You're absolutely right. I can't think of anything as beautiful as a baby giggle and few things even come close to equaling it.