So often now, in the midst of happiness, I’ll feel this gloom settle over me. I know right away that it’s not a “random” sadness; it’s definitely Rick-related. I feel those tears just below the surface, a very mild form ...
Sunday afternoons used to be my favorite time of the week. Sunday afternoons on a chilly, gloomy fall day (as much as I HATE the approaching winter) were even better. Right about now, Rick would be ready for a nap. ...
Have you ever been asked what your story is? How your husband died? How you’ve made it this far? Of course you have! I'm sure, like me, you've lost count of how many times you've been asked & how many ...
People have said all sorts of things to me in the last two years in efforts to offer comfort. Some have been confusing or inadvertently hurtful, and others held nuggets of truth that have come to make more sense with ...
The short answer is YES. We do. Just like National Widow’s Day, it’s not something you hear about until it affects you. I wish that would change. Grief awareness is desperately needed in our society. If the nature of grief ...
Once again, it’s the worst week of the year and I’m trying to make the best of it. My husband died on August 13, 2017. His birthday is August 23rd. The year he died, those 10 days were a fog ...
Making decisions as a widow is exhausting. Already, our emotional stores are spent, and we are physically exhausted from poor sleep. Some decisions are practical ones like checking a bank balance before paying a bill or choosing Raisin Bran over ...
The last thing I was looking forward to was re-entering the dating scene after 20+ years as a married woman. In fact, something Rick used to say came to mind: “I’d rather poke hot needles in my eyes.” And that’s ...
Rick and I were married on July 12, 1997. He died one month after our twentieth anniversary. This Friday will mark the second time I’ve spent our anniversary alone. In a way, it’s almost the third time, because on our ...