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Surviving the Holidays
Many will tell you that within a week of your wife’s passing, you must steel yourself against the trauma of upcoming special days and holidays. We each are likely to have very different experiences during these special days. Your reaction will depend on how important and memorable each of those days was for you and…
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Photographs
Recently while driving, I heard the song Photograph by Ringo Starr. As Ringo stated many years ago, he and George Harrison wrote that song together, but it took on a new meaning for Ringo after George’s death from cancer. As I listened to the song’s words, I heard that haunting line, “All I’ve got is…
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Game Plan…for a Better Tomorrow
The end of the year can be a tricky time for many people. The current state you are in may, at times, give way to the propensity to judge your entire existence by your present circumstances. Among the many teachings, I have been affected by is Dr. Eric Stoltz’s teaching “The Adversity Quotient.” When I…
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Page Garden
My late wife, Jan, had two favorite places on earth. At the top of that list was Christ Church, the Oxford University college where she studied for her Ph.D. in theology. Second on that list was the Church of St. Michael and St. George in suburban St. Louis, where we first entered the Episcopal Church. …
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First Ever-Date? Girlfriend? or Lover?
Was your wife the first woman/girl you ever: Either directly (through my website or Facebook page) or indirectly (through Widowers Support Network), I frequently hear from others who experienced one of these “firsts” with their wives. And I have often wondered how that might impact the grief journey for these brothers in grief. While that…
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Courage at the Crossroads
My dear brothers, recently, I found myself experiencing another visit to an all too familiar place, “the crossroads.” First, let me give you a little background about how I choose to navigate life. I strongly believe in the practice of dividing my life into three distinct silos, my personal life, my spiritual life, and my…
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To Overcome Grief – One Needs to Address All Facets of Life
For nearly 14 years, I have dedicated my life to the service of widowers worldwide, and during that time, I have learned much about what it takes to recover from male grief. From the widower’s mental and physical health to their financial health, ensuring their career is stable, and their relationships with their children, in-laws,…
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Imposters Syndrome – Overcoming Self-Doubts
Robin Williams, Richard Nixon, Oprah Winfrey, Ernest Hemingway, Vincent Van Gogh, Marilyn Monroe, John Steinbeck, George Washington, John F Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and many others struggled with their self-esteem and thought themselves imposters at some point during their lifetime. Why do so many successful people struggle emotionally and psychologically? Why do they often feel that…
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Life Insurance for Widowers
by Richard Dri When the reality of life insurance sinks in. GRIEF. GUILT. THE UNEXPECTED EMOTIONAL GUT PUNCH OF A LIFE INSURANCE CHECK. You and your spouse both knew that life insurance made perfect sense. Now as a widower, why do you feel so guilty? I don’t think there’s a person reading this who doesn’t…
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What Does A Widow(er) Do With The Wedding Rings
by Richard Dri A RING IS A SYMBOL OF “TILL DEATH DO US PART”. HOW DOES A SURVIVING SPOUSE PROPERLY HONOUR THE RINGS THAT ACCOMPANIED THAT VOW? When Mary died, I tucked her wedding and engagement rings into the safe. I’m still not sure what to do with them – or my own rings. My…
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