When friends move away

For some years my family had been advising me to move closer to them rather than have to travel 150 - 200 miles to visit them and a year ago I decided it was time to sell my house and make the move. So here I am in a lovely retirement flat with my DS1 and his wife only a few minutes away and my DGD with my precious DGGD just the other end of town. Student GC are here, there and everywhere but drop in when they're here! Other family is about an hour away - depending on who's driving. In fact, DS2 cycled over and back last Sunday. I sometimes wonder why I didn't move sooner but on reflection, it was probably just the right time. I keep in touch with old friends by phone and/or Whatsapp.

For me family are more important than friends. I love my friends but I wouldn’t put off moving for them if I wanted to.

I have recently moved house amd the people I considered to be friends have not talked to me since. We have been on cycling holidays together for the last 3 years, but this year, I wasnt asked if I wanted to join. I have tried to keep in contact but get ignored. Not sure why this is. This country is a very small place so distance isnt an issue really. Out of sight, out of mind, maybe.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Family first.

Nannarose, thanks. in the last few years, I've had more trouble with friends (and relatives) dying, so there's not much benefit in staying where I am.

Many friends and family have died (cancer mainly). So I make new friends. I live in a very popular retirement area so easy to meet new friends.

We’ve always been on the move due to DH’s job. We still have friends from years ago and still manage to see them now and again. I’ve never been keen on large groups of friends but have plenty of acquaintances. Some who we meet on our dog walks, some from our local and I’m happy with that. Family have moved closer to us which I’m happy about. We see one another regularly but we also do our own things. I like my independence, so my answer is no, I wouldn’t stay put to suit friends.

I lost my husband three years ago. Since then friends have been important and mostly live in the same town as me. Some have also been widowed or are on their own for other reasons.
We meet up weekly. I find that friends are better listeners than family. Family are important to me but AC are caught up in their own careers, their own grown children and their own friends. I do enjoy seeing them but wouldn’t move to be nearer to them. “My family are at the centre of my universe but I am only on the periphery of theirs” I-read that quote in a book and have to agree. I would certainly miss friends if they moved.

There’s Family
Lifelong friends
Friends
Acquaintances
No family
No friends
Which end of the spectrum do you want to be on, or do you find yourself on?
Some have rich lives, others don’t.
We all may know people in each category.

Friends can be as important, if not more so, for some, than actual family.
USA Gundy

We moved to suit ourselves and any friends who resented our move now fall into the category of 'fair-weather friends'.
Why can't people be genuinely happy for others rather than spiteful and resentful?

No, I wouldn't stay put to please"Friends". "Family first ", has always been our motto and even they often have to move for unseen reasons.
Out of sight out of mind soon kicks in. especially if you move a long way away.

We were in Gloucestershire, where I was born and lived until 2001, to support my husbands parents. Mum had dementia, and we needed to support Dad. My best friend visited once in 2002...I'm not good at making friends and can honestly say I have about 5 acquaintances- no friends.

Recently widowed, without nearby family, I am hugely grateful to many wonderful supportive local friends and neighbours. I could move to be nearer my loving DS or DD and their respective families, but they have their busy lives to lead.
I am definitely staying put in the town where I have lived since 1979.

We are a long way from our family. Work means that they live 100 and 200 miles away respectively, and as we are both 80 this year we are now considering whether to move somewhere more convenient for them. Their homes are linked by a major motorway and, depending where we went along that road, we would be within easy reach of either.

We are in no hurry to move we are independent and the house is not too much for us, but we are beginning to scope out a possible move.

We have friends and acquaintances, friends are scattered around the country, most of our acquaintances are involved in heritage organisations I belong to and with Zoom, I would still be able to attend meetings electronically, if not always in person.

Everyone's situation is different. If your family live close, then moving, for the sake of it would probably not make sense, but for people like us, living a distance from our family, a move makes sense.

Overall I share eddiecat78s views.