For 20 years, I lived hundreds of miles away from my mom and sister. Then, I bought the house next door.

After years of living far from family, I now live within walking distance of my mom and sister. The transition has been an adjustment, especially as we became more financially intertwined, but ultimately, our setup has provided us all with support and resources we wouldn't otherwise have.

Growing up, I wanted to live in every city my family visited on vacation. As an adult, I started to work through that list. After college in Virginia, I moved to DC, went to grad school in Wisconsin, and then followed jobs to Denver and New York. I loved city life, and leaving never crossed my mind. That changed when my father died. Worried about my 75-year-old mom living alone in Louisville and struggling with grief, I felt guilty about not living closer. For the first time, I questioned whether living so far away was what I really wanted.

When my sister announced she was moving back to Louisville in 2019, I got a bad case of FOMO. After a phone call from her and mom about the best pea pesto they'd ever had at a new local Italian spot, I knew it was time. Later that year, I left my job, sold everything that wouldn't fit into a rented minivan, and returned to the Bluegrass State.

Once in Louisville, we went from separate lives to an interdependent existence. When my sister bought a bungalow 20 minutes away from my mom, I moved in with her so we could both save money. Then the pandemic hit. After quarantining for a year, her house felt cramped, so I bought the place next door. This time, it was my mom's turn to have FOMO. Tired of missing out on impromptu karaoke nights and needing some help around the house, she moved three blocks away.

Old family dynamics reemerged amid proximity and health scares. The last time we were this geographically close, my sister and I were in high school. Our teenage bickering over who was hogging the phone leveled up, and now we were going rounds over how to load the dishwasher or who should take out the trash. Despite the challenges, the benefits of living close to family far outweighed the drawbacks.

We all benefited from the support and resources that close proximity provided. My mom, now living just a few blocks away, could easily visit us whenever she needed help or company. My sister and I could take turns cooking meals for her, ensuring she was eating well and not feeling isolated. We also shared groceries, split utility bills, and pooled our money for unexpected expenses.

The pandemic had forced us to reevaluate our priorities, and living close to family became a top priority. We no longer felt guilty about the time we spent together, and instead, we embraced it as a chance to strengthen our bonds. We had impromptu game nights, movie marathons, and long conversations that we might have missed out on otherwise.

Living close to family also provided a sense of security. Knowing that my mom and sister were just a few minutes away made us all feel more protected. We could help each other through illnesses, emotional lows, and unexpected challenges. The support system we built was invaluable, and it reminded us of the importance of family.

In the end, the decision to move back to Louisville and live next door to my mom and sister was one of the best I ever made. It challenged us, but it also brought us closer together. We learned to navigate the complexities of close living, but the rewards were immeasurable. Family, after all, is the one thing that truly matters in life.