Looking for a friend

@Schnackie2 Your welcome they have a good range of guides and have read several of them. Hope you find them helpful.

petra

No word of thanks from Barry to posters who were kind enough to reach out to him.

Unnecessary post Miss Manners. 😝

I have a kind of stupid question, but after one creates a post, how does one go about finding it again in the sea of postings so one can read the replies? Always wondered what your easy methods were. Im very lost.

I'd like to know that too Macadia.

Open GN and click 'I'm on' Then it is easy, unless you have posted on multiple different threads.

Or click on 'watching'. I know it can seem a 'stupid question' but it is not stupid at all. In fact its great that you asked. we all need sometimes to ask - and you asking may encourage other people to be bold and ask too.

Thank you Applegran. You have made my life easier.

Macadia it is good to hear that it is now easier for you, and it strikes me again how easy it is for us to fear asking something in case it looks 'stupid' - and how important it is to take courage and ask anyway. You often find others had the same fear of asking and the same need to know. Maybe we should have a thread about this! There is a great book called 'Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway' by Susan Jeffers - paperback, so not expensive and really worth reading.

At 68 you ain’t old mate, get out of the house and do things. Join a group, a club, exercise group, get a part time job, there are lots of others in exactly the same position as you, male and female.

You mentioned your life story, if you are going to recount how badly life has treated you - don’t, friends want to chat about nice things, holidays, hobbies, sports, family, even politics.

I’m 76 I remarried 2 yrs ago most of my circle gather at the local Rugby Club or a local pub. Friends are easy to make just smile and say a kind word

Barry - if you want to talk/chat with someone but not necessarily meet them, do get in touch with the AgeUK Telephone Befriending Service. They will match you with somebody interested and sympathetic who will listen.

I am in my fifth year as an Age UK Telephone Befriender. I chat once a week to the person matched with me - my first friend for 3 years before he died, and I am currently in my second year with the next friend. It is such a privilege to hear about their lives and to share concerns, information, experiences, etc..

I'm sure there may be other Grans here who are similarly involved.

I don't think Barry will be back just yet. Do hope he has found someone to help him he sounded very alone.

Barry, if you are still watching these posts, why not ring Silverline www.thesilverline.org.uk/
I’m sure someone nice will listen to your concerns and point you in the right direction

Barry, you have the skill to write briefly and fully what your need is. As others here have said you need to make an effort to get out and go to potentially boring and unproductive meetings before you can make a friend. When you do meet someone you like you take an interest in what they need , and supply it----usually something small will suffice .

U3A is good . Remember it's not all about taking, you should really be supplying something for others too. Group leader, treasurer, secretary, giving a disabled member lifts, whatever, needs doing.

Would you like to select a church to go to? I understand they welcome strangers. They have social meetings after the services. Your practical problem of help in your old age would be a topic of interest to a lot of churchgoers. Some churches have lovely music and religious ceremonials that you may enjoy.

Sixty eight is not old it's middle aged these days. You may find a girl friend.

Hope posts have been useful Barry, and you find the help you are looking for. Good luck and come back here for a chat , it’s mostly friendly and often helpful.

Barry probably didnt know about the "I'm On" 📌 button.

Many churches have ministry called: Golden age, or Lunches, etc...by going there you can meet the people and spend time with them. For your elderly care or possible care home affairs, can you ask a relative or younger sibling or the GP?

I am near 50 but you can chat to me if you want

Age Concern is now called Age UK. The OP really should contact them. They will help him with things like setting up POAs, will writing but they can also help him make social contacts.

We have had threads a number of times from quiet introverted people without friends and my advice is that you will only make friends if you make an effort and do things you hate doing like joining social groups and forcing yourself to join in and take part in conversations, even though you, at times, get very bored or stressed.

The OP could possible make contact with his local Men's Shed. menssheds.org.uk/

keepingquiet I have made several friends through GN, but not through just the onine side. I have attended or organised local meetings and made friends through sharing coffee mornings with anything from 2 to 8 other women. I am just in the processof moving and have had farewell get togethers with 3 friends I have made through GN. We will still be in contact, but less able to see each other as I am moving 100 miles away.

Once I am settled I will probably see if I can organsise a meetup in my new area.

Seems like a very one sided arrangement BarryG1 maybe think about what you have to offer a friend.

Macadia

petra

No word of thanks from Barry to posters who were kind enough to reach out to him.

Unnecessary post Miss Manners. 😝

No wonder Barry doesn’t have any friends. Still no thank you all for your comments That’s what people with manners do.