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Aging Alone—Finding Strength and Connection
Aging Well | Last Active: Apr 18 9:21am | Replies (93)Comment receiving replies
Time is what we older folks don't feel like we have much left.. Like you, I belonged to an international group of mostly mature women for around 40 years. But when I didn't agree to yet another sponsored big gathering in another state, along with many of those I thought were my friends who were in their 80s and 90s, they all shunned me. I can tell you that there is no pain like being shunned by everybody you know..
The older ladies have all died now, only 3 years later...
I have been in therapy since.. Am a very different person now... I don't make friends like I use to and am afraid to leave my house without my husband.. Old women are like school girls, I've been told.. I am thankful for my dear husband and wonderful therapist, who have supported me.. I believed these people were my friends until this happened. I was a happy woman but it has been a struggle to build a new life at my age now.. I am 82 years old..
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I know very well what it feels like to be permanently no longer included in a group of people you know well, and in my case for no reason I could figure out (I think though I wasn't "cool" enough for them). In my case what happened is I was emotionally hurt but I got over it fairly quickly and found a new group of friends. Then one day many years later I saw on social media photos of the group of people who no longer included me way back when. They looked like total idiots with their stupid poses but I'm sure they thought they looked "cool". If I would have been still part of that group I would have been one too!
The moral of the story: If anyone shuns you it's a really good thing for you and you'll find new friends sooner than later, if you want.