I’m not lonely because I have friends I can call 24/6 who genuinely care

The bold letters in the heading on the email in my inbox read, “Harvard research suggests meaningful relationships are a prescription for better emotional, mental, and physical health and possibly more critical to longevity than exercise or diet.”

So in addition to my three cups of coffee a day, there’s another road to longevity. (Of course, there’s the weekly 250 minutes of moderate exercise. Oh well, I smile to myself, I’ll definitely focus on the friendship route to well-being.)

“Aren’t you lonely?” someone once asked me. I’ve been widowed for many years, and I know the answer is definitely a no.

“No,” I replied. I may be alone a great deal of the day (all the better to write a book, my dear) but lonely…. No. Think about it. Sometimes, aren’t you lonely even in a crowded room if there’s no one you know or no one who appears to be interested in speaking to you? That’s real loneliness!

I truly believe “No” is the answer. I’m not lonely because I have friends I can call 24/6 who genuinely care, who want to hear about the trivial, the triumphs, the frustrations, and yes, the fears. I like to think that it’s reciprocal, and they know that I, too, can provide a listening ear, can respond with a laugh to the important issues, from dieting to attempting to understand and validate the life-altering events that are also a part of everyone’s life.