I appreciate your first paragraph and will read more about that.

>> I also find the idea that "thinking eternally" is bound so tightly with "having children" to be very odd.

I guess I can't relate to that. What I do today in my life is only due to (a) the fact that my ancestors fought and labored to survive and procreate and (b) of the values they passed down.

From my grandfather's perspective, I am his agent in today's world, and Gd willing my own grandchildren will be mine (and therefore his) agents in the future.

So one thing I meant around eternal here is that my own role and time is less significant in context of this greater continuity. Or put it another way, I could easily find seemingly valid reasons to not have kids but the fear of breaking this cycle and being the last of the line feels to me very opposite of orienting to eternity. Again, I understand that's not the choice you're making and that's totally cool, I am just explaining my framework.

We are not our genetic material. My influence persists into the future if I help somebody, even if they are not related to me.