(November 8, 2021 at 3:39 am)Oldandeasilyconfused Wrote: I'm 74 and have been living alone for about 30 years. That's statement of fact, not a complaint. Solitude is not the same as loneliness...In any case there are many things worse than loneliness.
After spending over 35 years in long-term relationships and five years sharing my home with my late mother, it was a breath of fresh air to suddenly become an "independent contractor" for the first time in my life. I do share my home with my adult daughter, but that's a much more casual setup. She has one entire floor of the house to herself, and helps with cooking and occasional "Help me carry this thing up the stairs, please" tasks. She also house-sits when I travel.
Although I value my alone time, I am definitely not a recluse. I go to the office most days rather than working from home. I love playing in bands and regularly hang out in person or online with astronomers and writers. Once in a while I sign up for a fitness class. I also enjoy going to coffee shops, doing my writing as I listen to the murmur of conversation. Having no human contact at all would put me into a very weird, potentially damaging mental space.
