I catch myself talking out loud a lot when I’m alone in the car. Luckily, nowadays, the passengers in the cars around me assume I’m on a hands-free phone, so it doesn’t seem strange to see me alone gabbing away while I’m sitting at the red light next to them. Except, the reality is, I’m…
Tag: Year two
Chapter Two
My counselor, Vaiva, told me in one of our early sessions that generally it takes about a year per decade of a marriage to work through the grief. It’s obviously not a hard and fast deadline, and everyone grieves differently. She was just letting me know early, that after having a relationship that lasted 20…
My Mom Once Told Me…
My mom once told me… That people in heaven can’t see us She said heaven is a happy place, a peaceful place that our loved ones go to when they die She said earth is a sad place So people in heaven can’t see us hurting, sick, sad, and depressed Or they would be sad,…
If You Were Here
If you were here this morning, You would have urged me out of bed “C’mon it’s a beautiful day!” you’d say And convince me to eat breakfast on the deck When we were finished, you’d say, “Let’s get this pool open – you love to swim. It won’t take long…” And we’d work together, side…
The Man Who Slept Beside Me
This morning, I made the mistake of looking at my Timehop app before I got out of bed. Two years ago today, Saturday, May 27th, at 8:58 a.m., I took two videos. The first was Rick snoring softly beside me, with his favorite blanket nearly covering his entire head. In the second video, I started…
The Missing Piece – Latest Blog on the Hope for Widows Website
I woke up today realizing I feel more alone now than I ever have in my life. And it’s not just that I’m living alone for the first time – no parents, no child: totally alone in this quiet house. It’s a different kind of alone than just being alone physically. This is a kind…
Ricky Gervais’s “After Life” – Grief, Acceptance, and Hope
I’ve been a big fan of Ricky Gervais ever since the British version of “The Office.” I chuckled through his podcasts, laughed through “Extras,” and guffawed through his standup comedy. His irreverent humor appeals to me. Yes, he’s often brutal in his attacks, but I guess I have a dark side. Lots of people were…
Latest Blog Post on Hope for Widows Website: The Comfort Zone
For the past few months, life has been pretty good. I have my vision board in place, and lots of activities and plans and dreams for my future that keep me occupied. I’ve been writing up a storm, and was flattered by an invitation to have my Writing Widow blog included in a resource for…
Today, I Will Sit in the Sun – A Poem
Spring has finally arrived in Michigan and today was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I’m used to being alone here now; this will be my second springtime without Rick. As our time together continues to fade into the past, I often stop to think how much he would have enjoyed certain things – and days like…
Finally Arriving Home – Latest Blog on the Hope for Widows Site
…. So, yes, I like my house now. I can finally appreciate and enjoy living alone in the house Rick and I built and shared together for so many years. I’ve come to a place where I’m no longer filled with the sadness of my loss. Instead I feel peace and comfort living with the…









