Can i ask: did anybody ever doubt to tell to others that maybe you have a first relationship or because you think maybe others also think it is embarrassing (for example if they think that he is maybe in a way that they think is not cool or because they have other strong opinions about things)?
I think that at your age it is actually the normal, expected behaviour. It is something you're not used to. It is something well outside the comfort or security zone. A lot un uncharted territory.
I haven't started a new relationship in 25 years ( that's the point of being married ) , but I can tell you that for a long time I was very cautious about what I showed whenever starting anything new. Uncertainties and then need to protect what is still fragile. My recent experience is more about the other end of the relationship. But even then, I did not show anything to the outside about what was crumbling and falling in pieces in me until it came to the light and the damage on me and on my soul could not be concealed.
What if I now started a new relationship? That's just pure theoretical, rethorical, you don't start anything new at 55, you stay on the side of the road, Hell, you stay there even for "friendship" after all 🙁 , as if you were not there anymore already. I know. I think I would take a time to build the link and until then that would be secret. That would only be the business of two persons : me and her. But if and once it builds up eventually, then that would be the colours I would fly and I wouldn't care about whatever the others would have to say on her or our relation.