Hi Marylin, When I was younger, I was very fearful at all. I was quite courageous, in fact. Since hitting my 50's (I'm 53), and after too many losses (people and animals), I have become very fearful. I also worry about losing my cats...I constantly think about death, how death will come to everyone, and so on. I try hard to practice being in the moment, but I guess I'm not very talented at it. I'm also very lonely and isolated - a year ago I began living alone for the first time in my life & I feel like I'm in solitary confinement. Yet, I am shy and can't seem to feel very comfortable with making new friends.

I wish I had some magic words for you. I don't, but I will say that you're certainly not alone, and that the feelings you've described seem to happen to most of us when we're in our 50's. It sucks.