I started flying quite young, but stopped flying for quite a few years after 9/11 and did the sensible thing i.e. went back to my secure desk job that pays at least twice as much as being a pilot.
Realizing that I had never flown anything else than piston aircraft was starting to get me down, so I went back into flying later in life (basically had to start all over again) and went through a very tough time getting a job, and finally got hired by a proper airline. I won't even begin to tell you about the amount effort I had to put into getting hired, but then I guess everyone in this business has their story.
Do I have any regrets? None whatsoever. I wanted to fly jets since I was a wee kid. It was a matter of meeting a lifelong goal, and you can't substitute something like that with a big paycheck.
