Living with

While retirement for me has been quite a ride dealing with other family members and issues, so never had time to rest. We have today a great new world to explore online which was never really existed before. I am not a member of Facebook or any social media but discover so many groups operate online that are very accessable. For me I took over caring for our grandchild, finding no help anywhere, until I used my wife's account to explore groups, Bingo, there was several excellent groups. So whatever your interest in life there will be groups online of like minded people. These groups are quite good of ensuring your identity so you don't get any 'strange individuals' in your chosen group. Like you say you have all sorts of charity work to explore, my brother's widow volunteers to help out at the old peoples home her mother enjoyed her last days. Holiday options for our age group for singles as well as couples.

I have a static in Norfolk that we could stay March until November at a relatively low price which has been a fantastic haven in the summer. Being a little old fashioned it does not have large groups of children, mainly like minded people like ourselves, so a great social life if you want it. Some older people do the opposite in winter seasons and stay abroad, out of season for pennies with like minded people. Sadly for us we are back to school holidays due to our 9 year old grandchild so greatly restricted, thrust into being a parent again is quite a lesson in life.

Family is you greatest asset as we get older we need their support and safeguarding covering our backs. So the 'world is your oyster' but you have to put yourself out there, it won't come to you. Get out there and embrace it, it can be great fun, good luck!

Hi @sadone just seen this discussion & felt the need to ‘jump into’ too. I think your other 3 ‘correspondents’ all had invaluable suggestions re: how to move on. I personally feel whenever situations like yours are experienced, the person (i.e. you) does naturally feel so alone but truly believe the vast majority of us have been ‘where you are’ at the moment.

I was widowed just over 4 years ago, have a multitude of health conditions & now 72. I have lived on my own since my husband passed & NO, I don’t think it’s ever easy but life does carry - probably never the easiest task we all have to do. This certainly does take time and the time this takes, I’ve found, can vary between each of us - I’m sincerely hoping you will feel/begin to know when the time is right for you to do this.

I’ve, personally, have always struggled with ‘accepting’ what life continues to throw at myself but perhaps because of needing to get on, eventually, have increasingly found I had 2 choices in these situations. 1- I could stay in the dark, unhappy place where I was or 2- CHANGE this by thinking/actively doing things differently. Instead of staying in my house alone / avoiding going out un til I had no choice, I made myself go out, initially to do some necessary shopping and then including thinking/planning, even if just looking (& not actually buying) anything that could possibly/hopefully help me to smile, be happier again.

Time really has been a great healer for me. I had been bereaved & felt bereft a number of times in the past. The 1 person always being ‘left behind/alone’ being myself, so consequently, slowly came to the conclusion, I needed to rely on myself, learn to ‘find the person’ I’d been’ before being on my own. I began by re-connecting/interacting more with the people that had been part of my life ‘before’. This somehow expanded to going to different places, meeting new people - sometimes they became part of my current life, sometimes not. All of these connections simply involved social interactions only. I’ve always strongly believed & had experienced that my ‘romantic relationships’ evolved without any pre-planning whatsoever - if/when things are ‘meant to be’ they naturally happen. At the moment @sadone, perhaps simply focus on yourself - hopefully find out ‘who YOU actually are’? Life has a way, if/when I’ve simply kept myself open to whatever comes my way. Wishing you all the very best in the future.