At one time, it wasn’t uncommon to spend your entire life in the village in which you were born. Then came the marvels of modern transportation, and suddenly most people began to live far more mobile lives than their ancestors. Modern transportation provides many advantages, of course, but one downside is the way it can separate families. Today, in our nomadic society, siblings who grew up together are often spread across the country, sprinkled throughout states, and can only connect in person after many hours on the road or in the air.
Many legitimate factors contribute to atomization. Someone might go to college far from home, meet their spouse, and settle down in that area. Another takes a high-profile job in a big city on the opposite coast. A third pines for adventure and independence and lives the life of a digital nomad. In a family with strained relationships, distance may be a healthy thing.
