[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by sunnyatlast

The closest thing to the friendly, caring hometown you describe as your home in VT…..is The Villages, Florida.

Better yet, The Villages neighborhoods have more capacity for caring, astute, and interesting world-experienced people to help one another and stay socialized, because of our close proximities to each other, and the vitality people gain by being outdoors and in the sunshine, not being isolated in the house or attempting to get around on ice for months on end.

This offers independence and neighbors/friends coming to help because they want to or it's easy for them, NOT because they are driven by guilt to come and help, as adult sons and daughters often are while working, saving, trying to finance their kids' education, and trying to find more hours in the day to help elderly parents.

Even better than that is nobody has to be "accepted" into society here based on being born here and how many generations of ancestors you have here. Everybody's from somewhere else, so pedigree does not enter the picture.

Very, very nice post. I understand totally.

Same as here actually, in that most of our college educated kids left town to pursue their careers in the big cities like Boston & San Diego area & Denver, New York metro area, etc. and so forth.

The ones who stay in Vermont, relocate to the Burlington area (our biggest city) or Montpelier (our state capital).

Thus, our out of state or northern Vermont "adult kids" only visit several times per year.........but when they do return, it's reunion time for all of their friends/our friends.

We are enjoying our alone time as retirees, after raising a family since 1968. My mom actually retired up here; having a good 30 plus years of retirement with my stepfather.......they created their own independent lifestyle with their senior citizen center friends. In the end I did care for mom for an extended period of time, after her husband passed..........but never out of guilt. I wish I had her back, if truth be told. Only now do I truly "get" what aging is all about.

The rest of the local kids, who have opened their own businesses in town here, are the ones who are close at hand, choosing to stay in town to raise their own young families.....

The many who actually do stay in town, are from very close knit "generational" families who were born in this town......we have the pleasure of knowing many, many of them........from their "greats" to their "grands" to the newest infants.........a circle of life.

We were transplants ourselves, welcomed by our "new neighbors" when we arrived in 1970. A culture difference for sure.....coming from the N.Y./N.J. metro area. It grows on you after awhile.

But, "I hear you" about The Villages........where everyone helps everyone & is always there for a friend or neighbor. Can't beat that either. However, I was referring to the "continuity" of life with a rich history in a small hometown.........from cradle to grave.
The ones who moved "away" to the bigger metro areas of our country, to be close to an airport for international travel, or centrally located for business reasons.........would love to raise their little ones "back home" but, unfortunately, the jobs are NOT here, unless one creates their own business.