So whether we wanted to or not, it appears that we have survived another date night holiday! Welcome to the other side people – only 363 more days until Valentine’s Day! š This was number 5 for me as a widow. Easier by far, but still – melancholy. Valentine’s Day was my first date with my husband. He was a dashing 16 year old boy who came to my…
widowhood and moving forward
Happy Ending?
Someone recently asked me if I thought my current relationship would have a happy ending. I’m sure that person just meant to ask if I pictured being with this man from now on, but I was a bit stunned by that question and just said, “I hope so.” As soon as those words came out I instantly thought, “Of course not”.Does that sound horrible? I don’t…
Saying Yes
As a parent, I have often found saying NO to be easier than saying YES. Over the years I have made a conscious effort to consider the questions my kids ask me before I blurt out a negative response. Many times I realize that the reason I say NO is that I don’t want to take the time to weigh the pros and cons of the request. I will confess that…
Our Fairy Tale
I try not to think too much on all the things we would have done, family we would have built and life together we would have lived. I try not to imagine it too much, for there is a pain associated with the what-ifs and that which we were unable to fulfill as the soul mates we are. We lived our fairy tale. Our own Disney movie.Like a knight on a…
It’s Not the Same ….
My life changed drastically and permanently on December 18, 2007. Nothing is the same. Nothing. Ā I am not the same. I will never be the same. And I’m finally OK with that (I’m not so sure that everyone else is).My children are not the same. And I’m OK with that, too. I don’t have to like it, but I’m OK with it. Ā My home doesn’t feel the same.
Music Was Our Refuge
The epitaph on Chrisās grave marker says, āMusic Was My Refuge.ā It is a most appropriate way to remember a man who was a church choir director, a pianist and an organist, a community theater actor, a Norwegian Folk dancer, and a longtime patron of the opera and symphony.Ā In the months after Chris died, I started planning a concert in his…
Then and Now
I spent some time last week reading through my old journal. I wrote in it almost every day for a year after Daniel died. Every once in a while I read through it to remind myself of how far I’ve come. It’s been over a year since I’ve looked at it, and it was some rough reading. I felt so sorry for that poor woman (yes, me). It was painful to relive…
Throwing in the Towel
I have often said that anyone whose spouse has died should receive an automatic, lifetime, get-out-of-jail-free card. This card would be used for things like avoiding leaking faucets, flat tires, broken fences, faulty plumbing, and critters stuck under the house or in the chimney. This all purpose pass should also free the bearer from: teenage…
Friends Matter
In my pre-widow life I was fortunate to have lots of friends. We bonded over jobs or kids or committee work or a combination of any/all of these. I knew the value of girlfriends who set you straight when you are weaving a self-destructive path, those who would hold your hair at just the right moment, and the ones with whom I could share my child…
6 Words
I came across this article and video about “6 Word Memoirs” and how they put many people to test on what they would write. The history behind it was explained: “The six-word memoir is said to be rooted in a bet between Ernest Hemingway and a friend ā supposedly, the author claimed he could write a short story in just six words. (He won with…
strength and surrender
These two words, strength and surrender, seem to be at odds with each other. Opposites. Separate. As a young widow, one of the phrases that I hear so often is “You’re so strong!” Throughout this journey, as many of you feel as well, I haven’t felt strong. I have often felt weak and lost. I have felt vulnerable and afraid. I have felt that I have…
our house
as i walked up the hill today, i stared at our houseā¦ liz fucking loved this place. fell in love with it the secondĀ she saw it.itās hard to look at, knowing that she canāt enjoy it with us. we got to our stairs andĀ i didnāt want to go inside. for some reason i just couldnāt do it. i pulled madeline from her stroller and took a few…