Writing this down is helping me to identify the problem so I can either solve or accept it. Thank you for the kind words Prill.

I missed Lynn's and Msmuzz before.

Lynn, I bet your professors were so envious of your publishing and graduating at the same time. What an accomplishment - for any age.

Msmuzz, Making a decision to just drop a friend is difficult enough. Maybe it's a challenge of midlife. So many of us seem to be facing it.
I took the cowardly way out and just stopped answering her calls. I admire you for having the courage to do it openly. I felt that I could have helped my friend if I had been honest with her, but I just couldn't. She is a middle aged divorcee and she was stalking a man. It was becoming pathological and it frightened me. I just took myself out of her life.
janis