Smaller social circle?

 Margaret had always been the social butterfly of her block, organizer of potlucks, the voice of the neighborhood watch, and the one with a Rolodex that rivaled a corporate directory. In her sixties and early seventies, she could be found chatting with everyone at the community centre, always first to RSVP and last to leave.

But now, at 81, her calendar looked very different. At first, she chalked it up to time’s wear: some friends had moved to assisted living, others were lost to illness or age. It seemed natural, even expected. “That’s just the way it goes,” she’d tell herself with a shrug.

Then one day, over tea with her friend Alma—one of the few regulars still in her life, Margaret mentioned the emptiness she felt about her shrinking circle. Alma gave her a warm smile. “But is it really empty? Or just... refined?”

Margaret raised an eyebrow.

“You remember how we used to say yes to everyone? Every club, every lunch invitation, every meeting? I think I was trying to please people more than I was really connecting with them. Now? I just want real conversations. I want the people who see me.”

That night, Margaret thought about what Alma had said and she had a revelation . It wasn’t just about who had left her life—it was also about who she had quietly let go of. The acquaintances who never really listened. The friends who drained her with complaints. The ones who never showed up unless they needed something.

She realized she wasn’t lonely—she was choosing depth over breadth.

Her days now included a walk with Alma, a Sunday call with her grandson, and monthly dinners with two longtime friends who never needed small talk to feel connected. There was less noise, yes—but so much more meaning.

Margaret once thought a shrinking social circle meant something had gone wrong., her thinking mirrored the conventional wisdom. However, the reality is that as we age and move toward the end of life, we focus more on what’s more important, on the relationships that are most important. We focus on a few relationships that have the most meaning as we don’t want to waste what precious time we have left.