Author’s note: I first published this essay on Medium and am sharing it here on Vital Sassy Seniors as the original author. Halfway through my morning walk, a sudden, ghostly emptiness hit me — the kind that makes your skin crawl before you even know why. The sun dimmed, as if someone had pulled a shade over the sky. I stopped, turned in a full circle, and thought, Where is everyone? It’s March. The snowbirds are still here. But out of 242 homes, only a handful of people are outside — in their yards, on their lanais, walking dogs through the park. Even the benches are empty. God, it’s lonely…