I’ve been through this numerous times (not the money part; I never made millions). I’m in my early 60s now and the process continues. I write books, blogs, short stories, children’s books. It’s comforting to work with words. It’s even more conforting to be read (although not always). What we should learn from these dramas is we’re singular. As much as we have support through friends and colleagues, we’re still alone. What aloneness teaches us is that we don’t stop growing because there isn’t someone around to help us grow. We grow like anything else—on our own. Friendship, marriage children are all a result of how much we’ve grown. When they leave—like any plant or animal—we grow again until we can’t do it anymore. That’s life.