Dear Annie: Now that my husband and I are in our 70s, it feels as if our social world has shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. Friends have moved away to be near their children, others are dealing with health issues, and a few have simply drifted off. We used to host dinners, take short trips and enjoy a lively circle. Now the phone barely rings.

Our children are kind but busy, and I don’t want to rely on them for every bit of companionship. Still, the quiet gets to me. I just want something to look forward to besides doctor’s appointments and the nightly news.

I’ve tried joining a book club, but it fizzled. My husband is content with his hobbies, but I miss having a group of my own. How do people rebuild a social life at this stage? Or am I expecting too much? — Restless but Hopeful

Dear Restless but Hopeful: Companionship looks different as we age, but it remains just as important. You may have to work a bit harder than you once did, but a close circle is still worth the effort. That might mean joining a community walking group, taking a weekly class at the library or senior center, inviting a neighbor for coffee or volunteering somewhere that needs steady hands. Even small, regular interactions can grow into friendships if you give them a chance.

You don’t have to rebuild your whole social life in one fell swoop. Start with one person, one activity, one small step. The world has a way of opening up when you do.

Dear Annie: I’ve recently learned that much of my life was built on secrets. My mother, who now has dementia, doesn’t realize that she’s started to confess things she hid for decades.

I have two sisters and a very strained relationship with both. We were raised by troubled parents and not taught right. My mom struggled and did what she could, but she clearly played favorites with one sister in particular. That sister has been involved in crime and hurt so many people over the years, including me.

I’d always felt something was off in their relationship and like my sister could do no wrong in my mother’s eyes. I’ve just learned that over 35 years ago, this sister had a baby while using drugs and that the father was my ex-boyfriend. He slept not only with me and my sister but also with my mother. He’s the father of my sister’s baby girl who was later put up for adoption.

This has left a wound that’s wide open and not healing. Please give me insight on how to close it. — Life of Lies

Dear Life of Lies: What you’ve uncovered would shake anyone. You’re dealing with not just one betrayal but a whole tangle of them that’s completely changed how you view your family and your childhood. I can’t imagine how painful this has been for you to cope with.

Allow yourself the space to feel it all — pain, anger, confusion and grief. Don’t feel pressured to forgive right away. A good therapist can help you work through it.

You can’t change the past, but you can choose what you carry forward. You get to decide what kind of life you want now and who belongs in it. That choice is the beginning of your healing.

“Out of Bounds: Estrangement, Boundaries and the Search for Forgiveness” is out now! Annie Lane’s third anthology is for anyone who has lived with anger, estrangement or the deep ache of being wronged — because forgiveness isn’t for them. It’s for you. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Follow Annie Lane on Instagram at @dearannieofficial. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM