I hate sympathy cards, because they’re a reminder of loss. For those of us who have been joined to the “Widows Club,” I prefer to give a new journal with a fancy pen. I tell them, when they’re ready, it’s for planning a new life. Making lists of things you’d like to do and see and experience sometime before you cross over to join the people you love the most. It can also be for making lists of treasured memories and thoughts. The rest of your life will be different, but that doesn’t mean it has to be miserable. Nora will still know what you’re doing, and she will feel happy whenever you do.

Thinking of you, Ted, and remembering when I was in a similar place. It was hard for a while. But you can still find joy and peace in your life when you’re ready to look for it. There is no timeline for grief but your own, and it’s okay to feel relief for both of you. Blessings of hope, love, and light to you.