Dear Annie: I feel lonely even though my life looks full from the outside

Dear Annie: I am wondering if I am the only one who feels this way, though I suspect I am not. From the outside, my life looks full. I have family, friends, responsibilities and a calendar that rarely seems empty. Yet somehow, I often feel lonely right in the middle of it all.

I spend so much time taking care of other people, showing up, remembering birthdays, checking in and being the dependable one, but very rarely does anyone ask how I am really doing. If I disappeared for a week, I honestly wonder who would notice beyond needing something from me.