When making any decision, consider the impact of distance. When we live close to the people we love or the work we do, we will likely have greater ease and ability to connect in significant ways. Yet, when distance is involved, that will restrict our access because of time, weather, and ease of getting there.
When I chose my home, I thought a lot about distance. I didn't want a long commute so my husband and I bought a home close to my workplace. For the most part, that was a good choice. I saved a lot of time with my 5-minute commute, and if I had to return home during the workday I could.
As a young adult, I chose to live about an hour away from family. I chose that because the opportunities for work and social life were better in the big city than the smaller city I grew up in. When I was young, that hour drive was not a big deal, but as life became more complicated with children, work, and aging, that hour commute has become greater. At this point, I wish I lived closer to my dad, and I wish he'd make the move to live closer to me since I still have a lot of commitments in my area. Yet, I understand his desire to stay in the home and community he's lived in all his life, but the commute makes connecting a bit more cumbersome than if he lived close by.
Now my young adult children are making choices about their lives. I'll encourage them to consider distance, but I won't have a lot of opinions about that as they'll have to consider the many personal factors affecting their decision. If all my children live far from me in time, I'll move closer to one. I don't want to be too far away when they are busy with their lives and families. Instead I want to be close enough to see them often and help out with their lives.
With every decision you make, distance is an important consideration. Commuting takes time. Sometimes that time can be a good buffer between work and home, but at other times that distance can create unnecessary stress and time. Onward.