‘Truly, madly, deeply alone’ – embracing solitude

After decades surrounded by a happy extended family, Max Riddington now chooses to live alone. Stripped of company and casual support, she wonders: is the solitude a comfort, or will loneliness strike?I grew up the youngest in a family of five. I married and had a baby before I was 30. I couldn’t have more kids, but we were the Waltons in other ways: I lived next door to my in-laws and my parents moved to the next village when they retired. We were one big, happy, extended family. Yet ther