I don't know where to turn, so this seems as good a place as
any. I found this site thru the Stop Smoking Center, have
taken the test - no news there - and have read the other
postings. Many of the replys include "don't isolate yourself",
and therein lies the problem:
I feel I'm being isolated beyond my control.
I live alone with a couple of pets. I moved back to my home
town in the west after my father died to be near my mother
and brother and sister and their families. I had lived away for
more than 20 years. My grown daughter still lives on the east
coast. I see my Mom a couple times a week, my sister
weekly and my bother a little less. None of them come to my
house, altho they seem OK when I drop in on them. If there is
any "family news", I usually get it 2nd-3rd-4th hand. My
nieces have never asked me to baby sit their little ones. My
Mom keeps encouraging me to move nearer my daughter.
What I hear is "we don't really need you here."
I had a lucrative, full time job until last September. I chose to
leave. The "public" reason was that I wanted to spend more
time on avocations and to travel, but the "personal" reason
was that I was feeling more and more uncomfortable in the
company's climate and environment. There wasn't anything
really wrong - I just didn't belong anymore. I have not heard
a single "peep" from any of the "friends" I thought I had made
there - not even a Christmas card. I'm now working at a part
time job which has very little social interaction.
I've done some volunteer work, but again, I show up, do my
part and I feel like everyone else breathes a sigh of relief
when I go. I belong to a church and have tried to participate
in its activities, but again, there is no real personal
"connection".
I was married for 8 years and have been divorced for 20. I've
had one serious relationship since my divorce that lasted for
10 years and ended 7 years ago.
I've "fallen off the radar" for most of my old friends. Letters, e-
mails, phone calls go unanswered.
I think I'm basically a friendly, decent person. It may be hard
to believe after reading this, but I DON"T spend most of my
time complaining about stuff, in fact I hardly ever complain. I
have