Do you ever, among the legions of “to-dos” on the To Do List after his death, keep a few to-dos undone…just to let the reminders of his once vibrant, active life pick furiously at the smattering of wounds from your ...
"It gets better." Let me begin this post with an honest disclaimer: I never thought I would ever say those words. How does the death of a spouse ever get better? I never would have believed it either. I never ...
Grief and trauma have a petrifying effect on the human body. I remember clearly in my first year of widowhood how difficult it was to just move. If I was on the floor, moving to the chair felt impossible. I ...
It’s been fifteen months since my husband died, and I have a question… What exactly is my allotted grieving time? Is there a prescribed time limit? Can I access a table of typical grief limits allowed per relationship type? Parent ...
Since Todd’s death, people have told me, "he'll always be with you.” They mean well. They smile, maybe pat my arm and wait for me to nod in agreement. I know these words are a cliche, something to say to someone ...
At 28 years old I was widowed, and at 32 I remarried. If I had a dime for every person who told me I would "rebound" back in my first year of widowhood, I would be able to pay off ...
Dear One, I'm been almost fourteen years since my husband's death and Thanksgiving still drains me. It's improved though. Where some wounding was more pronounced and somewhat of a surprise, other things that threatened to rip me apart, no longer ...
The holidays are upon us, and the last thing I want to do is be a part of any of it. At least, not like this. If I had children at home or grandchildren of my own – which, sorry, ...
I have a good life and I know it. I’m healthy. I’m financially secure. I have lots of friends who love me. I have an entire next generation of family members who spoil me with love, grandchildren, and great-nephews. I ...