Dear Queenie,
My wife and I used to give parties for all our friends on holidays and other special occasions, but they never entertained us in any way, not even for a backyard barbecue or snacks at a fast food place.
Now that we are older it’s not so easy for us to throw big parties the way we used to and we never see most of those friends anymore and we miss them.
Queenie, have we done something wrong?—Lonely senior citizens
Dear Lonely senior citizens,
As you grew older, so did your friends. It would be just as hard for them to throw a big party as it now is for you, and they may feel ashamed that they cannot entertain you on the same scale as you did them.
Why not invite them over for drinks or snacks, or out to a restaurant or fast food place, just one or two at a time and see how they respond.
You also might consider joining a senior citizens group – you might even find that that is where all your friends have gone.
