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If you were to ask most baby-boomers about where they lived when they grew up, you will more oft than not hear something reminiscent of a "Wonder Years" episode; "I grew up on a dead-end street" or "I grew up in the city and took the bus (public transportation) to the movies and baseball games."
"I played in the woods, built a shack...walked to the park."
"Rain, sleet or snow, I walked to the bus stop and I had to be in when the street lights came on or when my mom called from the door."
"Kids were plentiful enough and adult neighbors always advocated parental responsibility to any child within their jurisdiction. The children listened, no matter whose parent it was who spoke!"
If you dare ask your grandfather, you'll more than likely hear how he "walked five miles to school, barefoot, up hill both ways, in the blizzard, in sub freezing temperatures!"
The truth is, if you ask someone where they lived during their growing up years, and if you listen long enough, even to embellishments, you will inevitably begin to hear, where they truly lived. You will note that where they lived had little to do with square footage, media rooms, three car garages or cul-de-sacs.
Now we're all grown-up. We have moved onto bigger and better things in life. If you were to ask those same 'kids' where they live now, you will most likely get a location. That's it. "I live in the South Hills, North Hills, Penn Hills," or "I live near I-79, 279, RT.19 or just off the Parkway."
I do not pretend to know what your thoughts are about where to live or how you feel about all of this "map questing." I do, however, hope to provoke thought on both accounts and about how where you've chosen to reside helps compliment how you live.
Initially, there are usually many factors that go into choosing a place of residence. When you broach any realtor on the subject, you will again hear, "Location, location, location!" The emphasis being of course, that certain places are more 'desirable to live' than others. Naturally some will seek a tree-lined street while others desire to have some wide-open space. Some favor the idea of having neighbors close by and then again, there are those who want to be completely left alone. Be it the city, the country, or suburbs, all have traits that endorse 'where' we feel most at home. Much of where we choose to live is inherent, "I was born and reared here" or "It's what I have always known," or because family is close by. If we have the means, there are 'good schools & safe community' that we like to consider. However sometimes affordability is just plainly the major deciding factor. Many are transplants due to job relocations. Our homes are usually based on close approximation to where we work, our 'livelihood' if you will (as it was once known). Yet, we all know the rarity of someone who chooses to drive long distances just to live where they live!
Imagine, if the tables were turned and your neighborhood got to choose its residents. Why would it choose you? Discriminate selection measures might entail such things as your recreational interest or the process might take into consideration how regularly do you patronize local businesses, frequent the arts or contribute your energies to support your local community leadership. Of course, there would certainly be the question of 'What kind of neighbor are you?'
If that were the case, I wonder... where would we each wined up? Hopefully you would find yourself exactly where you are now. Of course, home will ever and always be where the heart is. It's what we remember best about where we grew up. After a long hard day at the office or school, 'there's no place like home' is often the fuel that drives us there.
If you are deciding where to live, consider that 'location' is relative to you, not anything more nor anything less.
You can find a house just about anywhere that you will boldly dare to make home. What life you have where you live is simply more or less what you make of it.
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