Hi everyone ... I am a 75 year old woman, divorced after 43 years and 3 adult kids. That was about 10 years ago. I got my own condo and was blissfully happy. For the first time I felt like I could be myself, do what I wanted (or not), go where I wanted, and just savor the joy of my own place and the peace and quiet it brought me. (my X is a narcissist) Well, from that time on my 2 girls hounded me to move to VA - near where they are. I didn't want to move, as for the first time in my life I was happy. They hounded me for about 4-5 years to "please move down Mom, we want you here." Finally I relented, and 4 years ago I moved down here. I lived in Harrisonburg for 1 year and now I've been in Staunton for 3 years. It was probably one of the worst decisions I ever made. It was like taking an old tree, ripping it out of the ground, and replanting it somewhere else and expecting it to thrive .... this old tree isn't thriving at all. Because of a situation I won't go into now, I live in a low-income complex with all the problems that go with that ..... drugs, guns, prostitution, etc. I am always inside before dark. I have not been able to find a church yet, I have no friends, except for 1 neighbor with whom I don't have much in common. Basically I only go to the grocery store, a doctor's appt., and my Psychiatrist for anxiety/depression (Bipolar 2). I keep thinking of all the things and people I left behind. It was truly "home" and I loved it. And to top it off, my X only lives about 20 miles from here. I know there's nothing anyone can do about it, but it just feels good to tell you all.
abby