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If I am not helping my neighbor, then why am I here?
I saw this sign on the wall of my doctor’s office as I waited for him to enter the examination room. I asked him about it, and he told me his 8-year-old granddaughter gave it to him a few years ago. Of course, she loves her grandpa and wants others to know what a wonderful…
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Sex and the Widower
Sex is a topic that we widowers often have difficulty discussing with each other, much less with friends, family, or even therapists. And yet, it needs to be addressed. Why? Because so many of us have so much trouble dealing with the topic. It does not matter whether you are impotent or acting like a…
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Spring Ahead to Move Forward
Spring Ahead to Move Forward A few weeks ago, in the United States, we followed the tradition we didevery spring: we pushed our clocks ahead by one hour. It allows more sunlighteach day and marks the entrance of another season: Spring. For some of us wholive in the northeast, it means the end of our…
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UNDERSTANDING CAN BRING PEACE
David Knapp Greg arrived at our house ready to do the handyman job we had contracted. I noticed he was solemn and short with his replies. As the morning progressed, I tried to engage him in some conversation, but it was like business only. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing a personality characteristic or…
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Four Things Grief has Taught Me
Since losing my late wife Ursula on October 16, 2023, I have had my moments of grief. I never imagined becoming a widower at age 57. We were supposed to grow old as we rode into the sunset together. It’s been tough, and I know the grieving process is far from over, But through this…
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UNDERSTANDING CAN BRING PEACE
Greg arrived at our house ready to do the handyman job we had contracted. I noticed he was solemn and short with his replies. As the morning progressed, I tried to engage him in some sort of conversation, but it was like business only. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing a personality characteristic or…
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There is No Timeline for Grief
I was sitting in an airport the other evening waiting for my flight home. I had a wonderful visit with my children and grandchildren and thought about the fun and laughs we shared for several days. As it often happens, a story about grief will pop up on my phone as I write about it…
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Learn to Live in Joy, Not the Pain and Sadness.
Someone recently asked me: “What’s the most difficult part of losing your spouse”? I said: “How much time do you have”? as my answer will be long. In the interest of brevity, however, I said after the early dark days, weeks, and months, I started to see some signs of hope. I put into place…
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QUICK HITTERS # 8
Quick Hitters are brief responses to Questions posed by author Fred Colby to his fellow WSN contributors. They offer a variety of perspectives on some of the most challenging questions facing new widowers. Enjoy. Quick Hitter Question #8: When should I consider signing up for Grief Therapy or a Grief Group? How can this help…
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Grief cannot be fixed, but you can adapt to a new way of living.
I had the pleasure of speaking to a grief support group in New York City just before Christmas, and I offered them some ways to deal with grief during the holidays. Several of the participants in the group asked me if grief ever goes away. I used the sage words offered by the late Kennedy…
Widowers Support Network 