Dear Annie: I didn’t think I’d be writing to an advice column at my age, but here I am, feeling like the new kid at the lunch table.

I recently joined a small community group to get out of the house more and meet people. That’s where I met “Marla.” She’s warm, quick-witted and the kind of person who remembers details, like the name of my dog and the fact that I drink my coffee with cinnamon. After a couple of meetings, she invited me to lunch. Then she texted me funny little things during the week. Then she showed up at my door one evening with soup when I mentioned I wasn’t feeling great. I haven’t had a new friend like this in years.