"For a while, I resented this mysterious disease for stealing my ability to be spontaneous and adventurous. I watched as my two closest childhood friends moved across the Atlantic. I felt sheltered and dull. I was doing exactly what I said I wouldn't do. But this disease and the grueling diagnostic journey made me realize how lucky I was to have parents nearby who could help."
"I told him I wanted to stay local for medical reasons. Our first apartment was about 20 minutes from my childhood home, where my parents still lived. Our first house was only 6.5 miles away in a neighboring school district."
After college, the author vowed never to return to her suburban Philadelphia hometown, seeking adventure elsewhere. However, a mysterious neurological disease activated after graduation, requiring parental support during her diagnostic journey. She moved back home and remained after becoming a mother. Initially resentful about the disease stealing her spontaneity and adventure, she gradually recognized the profound value of living near her parents. When she married and had children, her priorities shifted entirely. The proximity to family support became essential rather than limiting, transforming her perspective on what constitutes an ideal life and location.
#hometown-return #family-proximity #life-perspective-shift #chronic-illness-impact #parenthood-and-values
Read at Business Insider
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