Today would have been our 19th wedding anniversary and, as every year since my darling's death, I was perusing some of my "saves" from the days, nearly 6 years ago, when I first became a widow.  I thought I'd pass the following along to you all... perhaps to offer you some hope.  (Unfortunately, I don't remember where I found this, so don't know whom to credit for it.)

Being widowed is not a six month experience.
Being widowed is not a year long experience.
Being widowed is not a two year experience.
Being widowed is a life long experience.

Do we mean you will always identify yourself as a widow?  No.
Do we mean you will never recover emotionally from this loss?  No.
Do we mean that nothing good will ever come from your widowhood?  No.

We mean that you don't get over being widowed.
We mean that having been widowed, you can't un-know what you know...people that you love will die.
We mean that widowhood will change you, permanently.
We mean that widowhood will become a launching place from which you will evolve, grow, and become a new version of yourself.

The fact that love never dies, makes widowhood a life long, fluid, evolving experience. Eventually, we all learn to ride the waves of grief into the calm cool waters of low tide at sunset. Hang on.

God bless,

Terry