There were 12 of us around the table, different ages, cultural, faith, and professional backgrounds. We were brought together by one of the worst things some of us had ever experienced: the death of our spouses. We met through a virtual online support group. The second of three I’ve joined so far. I really didn’t […]
Widowed Community
Hands United
I know I mentioned this after attending the Calgary Camp Widow, but this past weekend has once again truly emphasized the importance of Finding Your Community. Hands United Together, Threads of strength weave, Voices rising in hope, A tapestry of souls, Bound in unity. (Tiny Poetry/Community Poems) I spent three days surrounded by some wonderful […]
Take That, Halloween!!! 🎃
Yesterday, our son voted for the first time. This weekend, we had a family Halloween party, followed by Halloween karaoke after trick-or-treating, and we had a blast! We visited one of our favorite fall festivals, an annual family tradition that started more than 15 years ago. Had brunch with friends. All happy and exciting, momentous […]
Time to Recharge 🔌
It’s been a really busy few days for me, and sometimes, busy isn’t a bad thing. Our son turning 18, a weekend full of social engagements, and high school open houses for our daughter have left me tired, and my house looks like it was hit by a tornado. But I feel weirdly energized. After […]
Feel what you feel when you feel it
I ended last week’s post on a positive note. They weren’t just words to fill a page. I really did feel more positive than I have since Jim died. I survived those first-year milestones, enjoyed some wonderful times with friends, visited some beautiful spots. I felt ready to make a real effort to figure out […]
It’s been a year of Yin and Yang
shock & grief / hope  ~  ups / downs  ~  hurt feelings / kindness unexpected disappearances / lovely returns lots of tears / but also some laughter loneliness / community  ~  isolation / travel I made it through all of those “firsts” since Jim died – and all of those memories of […]
Widow Friends Expect Less
Recently, I was able to take a quick trip to Las Vegas and catch up with a few of my widow friends. With only 4 of us, we had a small group for this trip. But it always fills my heart to be with them. We came into the weekend with zero plans since in […]
Thank You, Calgary
What a perfect place for me to be during this hard week of loss and memories … a beautiful park just a few blocks from my hotel, those incredibly beautiful lakes in and around the Banff National Forest, reconnecting and meeting in person some of the widowed friends I met online back in 2020 during […]
Vacation Loading…
I will get to see some of my widow friends soon! I cannot wait to give them all hugs and spend a few days catching up in person. But first, we must get there and only one of us has an empty nest. I am looking forward to it, but I have a lot of […]
Dear September …
I am not asking for a new life Just a softer space inside this one ~Jess Baird I miss those days I had at the beach but it’s rather nice to be home. Even though I’ve considered moving, this is where I need to be right now. Probably not forever. But who knows? I’m […]
Coffee and Hugs
I’ve noticed as I get older and experience major life changes, friendships change too. Like all things, they run the gamut on the friendship type. Since losing Tony, I have also lost a handful of friendships I would have said were unbreakable before he died. I have mourned those friendships alongside my husband. But I […]
In With The Old 📜
We are in it! A new school year, new challenges, a new routine. Very different from last year and that is, in our case, not a bad thing. I am though, more exhausted than other exhausted days. For that reason, I decided to repost a blog from a few months ago where we got to […]