MauiMermaid

I always get you, MrsDan. But this last paragraph just brought me to tears because you so clearly illustrated what my grief feels like now. [Wiping tears now]. Thank you for sharing this... And ps I'm happy to hear you are doing well. xoxo

Thank you for this. Just thank you. Hugs to you, canadiangirl.

This really resonated... you put in words exactly how I feel. {{{Hugs}}} to you, Eileen.

Hugs, Donswife. 4 years... where has the time gone. Hope you made it through the day ok considering. I so understand the holding on the illusion part. It is still hard for me to grasp that our plans and dreams aren't here anymore.

Hugs to you, Suki xoxo you are not alone.

Hugs, Tybec. xoxo

I totally understand this. I sort of feel like our time together was a dream at this point. Hugs, Trying. Good to see your name pop up. Hope you are doing well. xoxoxo

Totally this. Hugs to you, KrypticKat.

Thank you for sharing, Trying2Breathe. Glad to hear you are doing well. Wishing you continued strength and peace on those "dark days". One step at a time indeed. xoxo, MM

Thanks for sharing, Tybec. Hope you are well... good to see your name pop up. How special to get some much needed reminders on your strength and independence from a place that carries so much history and memories. It must have been an emotional trip in many ways. Glad you were able to share it with your son. Hugs to you, MM

Hi TooSoon, I cannot believe she is starting Middle School! That really illustrates the years that have passed. I hope you are doing well. Thank you for the kind words... sending you the same. xoxo MM

Hello everyone... always comforting to see the familiar names pop up from the YWBB days. I hope you are all doing well in your journeys. Where has the time gone? These forums were a true lifeline and I'm so grateful to have found you all so many years ago... It's almost 6 years since my DH passed away suddenly and I still struggle with feeling some days like I'm at 6 months in this. The disbelief still manages to hit me hard (albeit not as frequently). The tears still manage to flood my eyes at the thought of him being gone (though not every day, still often enough). The intense pain that pierces my heart still manages to do its thing (sometimes the volume is at 1 and other times it's at 10). Yes, there has been growth and happy moments over the last 5 years. Yes, a new person has entered my life and shown me unexpected hope for love and companionship in chapter 2. Yes, I've managed to make strides in my career. Yes, I've embraced spiritual growth and mindfulness while I navigate the loss. But behind all the positive steps "forward", that intense empty still lingers. That void still remains. At the bottom of it all, I just miss him. I just miss him so very much. As much as I try to stay in the present, I can't help to miss my "old" life. OUR life... together. I try to be kind to myself and acknowledge where I've grown but sometimes I just feel like it's all a facade. Like I'm living some fake alternate-reality version of my life and self. I just feel so lost and directionless at times. This 5th full year without him has just been so taxing and difficult for some reason. Almost like I've fallen back to the early days at times. I guess that's just how the journey goes... up, down, sideways and back again. But simply, I just miss him and I guess no amount of time really changes that. I'm grateful for the good things in my life now but the missing him part is just always there front row center. Thanks for listening. And again, hope all of you are doing well and thriving in new ways and new chapters. Big hugs to you all.

Oh, TooSoon... that pierced my heart. I'm so sorry you had to read that from your students. As much as you can write it off as a lack of life experience, seeing those words in print must have been so very painful. Big (((hugs))) to you. There have been an abundance of posts about this on LinkedIn lately. I'm glad to see more awareness and open conversation about the impact of grief in losing a partner or spouse. Anything that will help foster more empathy going forward is such a good thing. As Maureen mentioned, so often bereavement policies seem to apply more to the passing of a relative (which is still really tough but, as we know, isn't in the same ballpark).

THIS. So this. I know it must be difficult for NG to hear when I talk through memories or sadness. But the truth is my DH is forever part of who I am. I found the blog post a little callous.