I Admit it. I’m a Widow Who’s Often Afraid to Be Alone at Night

I Admit it. I’m a Widow Who’s Often Afraid to Be Alone at Night


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Laura Liedo Facebook Twitter LinkedIn


Welcome to Ethels Tell All, where the writers behind The Ethel newsletter share their personal stories related to the joys and challenges of aging. Come back each Wednesday for the latest


piece, exclusively on AARP Members Edition.


A few weeks ago, I was cuddled up in bed, sleeping soundly with two fans blowing on me from opposite directions (because I am a woman of a certain age) when I woke up to my mobile phone


making a strange noise. BIIPP. There it went again. I picked it up from my nightstand, only breaching my perfect blanket burrito with one arm. The message, which was from my house alarm


system, read:


Members only


PATIO DOOR HAS OPENED


As I read those words, three things happened simultaneously:

Adrenaline shot through my body as if I’d just slammed on the brakes in my car, narrowly missing a collision.All the hairs on


the back of my neck stood up in unison, and I immediately started sweating. My phone emitted that little chirp again and flashed a further message that my alarm would start blasting


through the house in 10 seconds.


One of my biggest fears was coming true. You see, while I take great pride in my courage when it comes to things like public speaking, traveling alone and eating raw seafood — actually being


home alone, at night, still really freaks me out.


I’ve always been kind of jumpy.