I received a phone call last week from a widow who was extremely nervous about living alone. She hadn't had a decent night sleep since her husband passed away about two weeks ago. She informed me she lived in a tiny ranch style home in a quiet neighborhood.

During our initial phone conversation she told me she never once felt nervous about living in her home while her husband was alive. However since he passed away she lost her nerve, especially when darkness fell. I decided to conduct my security audit at her home in the evening so I could get a sense of her concerns.

When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised, her residence was lit up like a Christmas tree with lots of perimeter lighting. I had no trouble directing my vehicle down her driveway which was flanked with light posts on both sides cognate of an airport landing strip.

Even in the darkness, I could see she had open site lines to every part of her home. It was obvious to me she either had a green thumb or employed a full-time gardener. When I approached her front door I noticed she had good locks coupled with a large door viewer.

Her doorbell was part of a video intercom system which allowed her to see who's at her front door during the day or night. Once I identified myself, she opened the door and I heard a beep signifying she had an up to date burglar alarm system as well.

So why was this lady nervous about living alone? After all she lived in a very secure home. After a brief conversation with her, I had my answer. It was her husband who initiated all the security measures in her home. She had no idea how safe and secure she was.

Her security knowledge was so limited, she didn't even know how to activate her burglar alarm system. Lighting didn't mean anything to her, she never bothered with it. The only reason lights were on when I arrived was because she wanted me to see her address numbers.

She told me her husband hired a lock company a few years ago to install deadbolts in all their doors including the garage. What she didn't know was he installed top of the line locks in all the doors. She informed me she thought a lock was a lock.

Once I went over her security in great detail, explaining the importance of good lighting, the pros of maintaining her shrubs and bushes, the advantages of having an intercom system with a built in video monitor, the necessity of having and understanding a state of the art home alarm system and of course explaining the difference between a good lock and a bad lock she felt very much relieved.

Education was all this lady needed and as long as she incorporates the security measures her husband put into place, she will always be safe in her home.