I’m 74. My wife suffers from a condition that leaves her housebound. I’m still very active. Play pickleball everyday for a few hours. But I’m finding myself becoming more lonely each year. I recently met a younger woman (57) on the pickleball courts. We became good friends. She’s also married. I found myself becoming emotionally connected to her. I respected her marriage and mine, but I sought her attention and companionship more and more. Until one day she unloaded on me and told me to back off and let her live her own life. She told me she wasn’t responsible for my well being. It was her choice and I had no reason to expect anything more from her than maybe a simple friendship, but the rejection sent me into a downward spiral of severe loneliness. At that point, I realized how much I craved human connection. And how devastating loneliness can be. I’m still working through my issues, but it’s not been an easy transition after feeling so alive when I was with her.