I met a good friend today who is in her mid-forties. She is divorced and has no children. Lately she is fearful of loneliness, of being alone.

She lives in a comfortable suburban estate where most of her neighbours are people around her own age, but mostly they are families with children.

This morning as she watched her neighbours she felt an overwhelming sadness at the thought of still seeing the same neighbours come and go, but with their grandchildren, and she will still be alone.

She wonders should she move house, but knows it’s not the answer. What is?