So sorry that I cannot answer with a proper response because for some odd (regular DS) has messages over yours and I can't read it.

But I was able to read the first line. I must say that I would have never thought that I would be able to speak to people all over the world via e-mail. And I also never thought that technology would be what it is today.

Good question. I agree with Mary about being so alone. I guess I did kind of think that could happen to me but the fact that it did hits me really hard anyway.
Also, I don't think I realized how important work and money are. I was kind of a dreamer and was raised to be one.
Roof over head and food and basics come first.
Oh, and I never thought I would be fat. I was always so thin and fit up to about 35, Now I'm a good 70 pounds overweight and can't lose it.
I think there's a lot more. I have to think about it. Thanks for sharing this.

i always thought id be married & have kids. that's why im such a dog mom, cos my only baby was ripped from me cos she wd have died when i had ovarian tumor surgery. arent i fun.

I totally hear you about never thinking you would be alone at this stage of your life. Not in my wildest dream was I prepared for that! But yes, it is possible to be alone AND OK .. while there are days when it seems we have been forgotten, most of us don’t have to look far to see others who face much greater challenges. The main thing I have learned is that even the smile of a stranger can brighten my day, so I try to smile at strangers wherever I go! It’s good to remember that maybe it’s not only about us.
Thank you for sharing! I hope your “list” for the New Year includes much that makes you happy!

I had planned so many things for when I retired. I did not plan on getting a Guillain Barre diagnosis before being any where near retirement age..

Great topic! Thanks so much for sharing!

Of course I thought I'd be married, stay at home mom, have a family, a nice house white picket fence, and a couple of kids. I sure as heck must have been dreaming!! Also did not plan on almost dying over 19 years ago. It was a life-changing event.

Gitta, Nice uplifting response. Love and Hugs and smiles.

I never thought that i would be alone either but the thought of looking for a partner at my age doesn't appeal to me right now. I was burned realay bad once and am afraid to even try again
Of course I wish I would have prepared better for old age, getting sick never entered my mind but it should have, :-(

Maybe I was just a weirdo but I never had any ideas about what adult life would be like, except I played teacher and house with my friends, pretty standard stuff. But as far as thinking adulthood would bring something specific? Nope never occurred to me to consider it. I also never had ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up either. Adults would ask me and in my mind I’d think, how do I know; I’m a little kid.

I will say I knew at a fairly young age, like 12-13, I never wanted to have children. And that actually was consistent through adulthood. I also didn’t dream of being married. I wanted to travel and go to school, that both actually happened because I made them happen.

So honestly nothing surprised me about adulthood or disappointed me in adulthood etc. I didn’t have an easy upbringing so I think I can attribute some of that to having to grow up faster and having a lot more responsibility than most kids. I didn’t have a romanticized notion of the future. You deal with what happens and move on until the next thing happens, and so on and so on.

I did though actually never think I would get married but I did in my 40s. That is probably the most unexpected thing to happen in my adulthood. No one expects to get sick and what not. Happens to most people at some point.

I thought everything would be okay as adult.
I hated school, i had zero confidence as a child.
For some strange reason i thought all that you was as a child would change as an adult.
Not realising you carry yourself through into adult hood.
I'm still the same child just a lot older in years.