It always amazes me how the word widows or widowers often provokes an emotional response. You get the touch of the arm, maybe an embarrassed look or the one which I feel cringe worthy….”Oh I am sorry”
I understand the reaction because people feel the pain of loss, they know that bereavement is awful and they also know that there are no words which can take away that sense of loss.
However, when you think about it widowhood has some good signs..

It means you are one of the lucky people in the world who found their true love!
It means that you understand …read more

Whenever I think about grief I always come to one conclusion – that grief, bereavement, widowhood is always different for each person. I used to think that I was strange with some of the reactions that I was having, now I feel that those differences should be embraced.
As humans we are born different, we think and feel differently. I look at my mum who enjoys problems, I look at myself -born from the same genes – and I love nothing more than solutions!
Instead of seeing our different reactions as a problem maybe we should see them as just part of …read more

Mary from Miss dilletante’s playground is giving away a book and a cd, she contacted me as the book is called Comfort and as Mary explains
“Ann Hood writes about the searing irrational nature of grief in one of the most profound books I’ve read on the grieving process. This is high praise, because I’ve read a lot of books on the subject as I’ve been wending my way through widowhood.”
And the Carly SImon CD is also significant as recalls receiving it as a gift
“She gave it to me a week after my husband Michael died. It was the perfect collection …read more