Have you ever known someone who keeps a buffer around themselves? They are friendly, but keep a safe distance from others. I am not talking about personal space. But emotionally distant. I often wonder what has happened to them in their development that makes them act in this way.
Our personalities are formed early in our development when we are small children. Our environment plays a big part in that development. Where we live, how we live, how our parents react to us and our interactions with outsiders to our families.
Without realizing what is happening, we store our experiences in our minds and hearts in the form of feelings. Some of us keep those feelings in a bubble of protection around us and often are not able to cross that barrier. Sometimes that is a good thing, sometimes not so much.
Our psyche is so fascinating to me. The ability of our minds to protect us is almost unbelievable and is one of the things that make us human. We were created to interact, support, help, and love each other whether or not we utilize a “safety bubble”.
Wanda
Cookies & Moo 
That’s me. I’ll tell you in my case. I used to be open, sweet and caring from a dysfunctional family and after many years of attracting some that use and abuse, I learned to be cautious. Add that to losing ones I loved I think I just really don’t want to start really caring about anyone now in my old age. It’s not the same making a friend at 60 as 10 or 15. I’m not the same person so obviously I am just more “dead inside” as a way to put it. You don’t have as open and enthusiastic of a heart in old age as a child has, I don’t anyway.
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I can understand why you feel this way and understand how difficult it is to make friends when you are in your 60’s. But 60 isn’t old and there are a lot of us out there who would love to find a caring friend.
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I’ve long had one of those but I pop out of it these days now and again.
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Those safety bubbles are necessary sometimes, but it’s healthy to leave them behind once in a while.
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