Quality of life & making wrong decision for some

[shootingstar]

I still have a good memories as a child and teen living in a city of 30,000+ before it really expanded but we actually lived downtown. So I also know the quality of life in smaller areas at a slower pace, but close to shops, schools, public transit, etc. It retrospect, it was an excellent environment to raise a family and gave to me, personally a balanced sense of what it means to live in a more homogenous place with a strong sense of local historical roots but was not isolating and as well as knowing what it means to live in a large metropolitan cities with highly diverse populations.

I've stayed with friends living in towns of 1,000 to 5,000 for over a wk. --several times in life.

And cycling for long stretches of time in rural areas. Then when we got to the areas after a full day of cycling, sightseeing...then...what...I couldn't figure out what to do beyond reading book, computer and tv. I'm not the sort of person that needs to hang out with friends so often (several times per wk.) which is probably possible in smaller towns. Other people want that.

So probably would pick up doing more art, solitary stuff...I guess. But I do derive even creative stimulation from being exposed in person, to a wide, diverse variety of other people and ideas, sensations in unpredictable ways. (Yea, I know unpredictability means danger in the city, to some people.) The Internet....it just virtual but a great learning tool.

My parents sold their home (they enjoyed living there but were dependent on car) and moved 100 kms. east into Toronto (to be closer to their children).

They live in downtown Toronto in a residential area, not among the skyscrapers. Which unfortunately that's what some rural folks might think.
And always they always chose to make sure their home is close to public transit. Within 15 min. walk or less.

My father didn't mind chauffeuring us around when we were younger (mother did not know how drive), but car wasn't even available when he needed it to go to work...40 kms. away in another city. So they always had to have a home no matter where, close to public transit.

None of us have ever lived in true country/rural areas...suburbs only. (Sorry my parents grew up in villages in China. They most definitely aren't interested in rural areas with that type of isolation in big North America.)