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I'm sorry for what happened to your grandmother. Some of my favorite memories of Italy are walking around at midnight watching entire generations of Italians out socializing. And in Matera, there was one spot in town where dozens of older folks went to sit and talk and talk and talk everyday. It seemed a wonderful way to be.

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Such truth. My grandma has always said "when you stop moving, you die" and she is 95 now. I took care of her for a month last year (her day nurses on vacation). We played cards and dominos, she moved about room to room on her own, and she was active with calling family and chit chatting all day. She fell and broke her ankle a few months ago and went completely sedentary. She has given up and her body is consuming her in such little time. She is close to the end now.. because she stopped moving. (and talking, and life'ing)

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founding

I'm absolutely convince my retiring 3 weeks ago will lead to a quicker death if I don't find something stimulating to replace my work. I worked in gambling almost my entire life. It was a social network who and where I entertained and engaged 8 hours a day sometimes 6 days a week.

I haven't stopped moving. I just no longer move with purpose. I hit the gym, ride my bike, and walk around the neighborhood but that isn't enough. My mind needs to stay engaged or loneliness threatens to consume me.

Part if not most of it is due to living in a small town that has little to offer that interests me. I love big cities and large metropolitan areas. I can live in the heart or within 15 minutes of a metropolis and I'm poetry in motion. Someone once said you can never be lonely in a large city, the buildings will always be your friends. It's true.

Reading books and screen time helps but they're no substitutes for engaging "in life."

Great read. I'm sorry about your grandmother. I'm grateful you shared her story, it forces me to look at my present situation more seriously. Thank you.

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