It sounds like you have become dislocated from your tribe. I would advise getting on a committee for something you are interested in or feel strongly about. This will give you a new group of people to focus on and something that you will accomplish together.

My only child is away at his first year of college, and is out of the country. Now that I'm not cooking or being on homework-and-getting-into-college support, I have more free time than I had thought I would, and I have taken up excersing in a systematic way - something I haven't done in more than 20 years. I'm also taking up the guitar and various forms of folk dancing again, and these activities are all reinforcing each other. As a result I find I have more positive energy and feel more confident and competent in other aspects of my life.

Best of luck. It will get easier.

Linda