The gravity of your hometown will always give you reasons to stay home. Sometimes that gravity is strong, and sometimes it will weaken. When it’s weak, leave. Travel. See things. You can always come back, but the opportunity is always a fleeting thing.

When we traveled in our camper, we left my kids were 1 and 4. My family and parents weren’t anywhere near needing any help from us, my kids didn’t have school friends yet, I was working remotely for a stable job, and my wife didn’t have a job. We happened to have a camper in our posession and a truck to haul it.

On paper, that’s about as good of an opportunity as any, and yet it was still a significant, and difficult transition, but I’m glad we did when we did, because the gravity of my hometown ramped up quite a bit more once my kids started making friends.

By the time they’re old enough to decide to go travel full-time, it’s entirely possible that either of mine or my wife’s parents may need us to be nearby to help them as they get older.

I guess what I’m getting at is take a look at your life right now, and if the only reason why you are where you’re at is because you’re scared, then re-think it. A few years on the road can completely change your life, and the opportunity to do it is neither universal, nor permanently on the table.