What's Your Question: Should my boyfriend still display photos of his late wife?

Understanding Grief / Understanding Grief : Eleanor Haley



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Welcome to our newest feature, 'What's Your Question: Grief Advice & Answers'. Full disclosure, no one has actually asked us anything, making this advice 100% unsolicited gold.

A reader and friend of Litsa's recently forwarded her a question posed to the advice columnist, ‘Ask Amy’. As a widower this reader friend found the question to be kind of awful and as such just had to share it (obviously). Upon inspection Litsa and I found the question to be equally as awful and, although the advice columnist answered gently and with tact, we thought we’d like to take a stab at it ourselves. Okay here goes:

DEAR AMY: I have been dating a widower for almost two months. He lives out of town but we are spending weekends together. His wife passed away 2 1/2 years ago (I have been divorced for 10 years).

Pictures of him and her with family are still on the walls of his house.

He tells me he leaves the family ones up because of his kids and grandkids coming over. They were married for 38 years.

Is this man really ready to be in a relationship? I have met two of his three children, who are in their late 30s. I felt I was drilled with questions.

I just don’t know if he is really ready for his next life. Sometimes I wonder if I am just a “test run.”

—Worried”

Okay stop! Before we go any further, widows and widowers, please never (x infinity infinities) let anyone tell you you’re stuck or ‘not ready’ due to the photographs you have on your walls or any of your other fine home furnishings. It is not only normal but encouraged to leave photographs of your deceased loved ones out. You are not crazy, you are ok.

Alright now let’s take a giant Yeti sized step backwards and look at this situation. First and foremost let’s discuss the concept of a photograph. People take photographs so they can fondly remember the loved ones, places, and moments that make up their past. Regardless of the length of a marriage (this one just so happens to have been 38 years long), a couple is likely to have shared countless fond memories. Photographs are a device to help us remember these moments and the people we shared them with, that is the entire point. Memories don't lose importance because the person we shared them with has died.

Moving on, I am a grown woman whose mother has died and I have 5 grown up brothers and sisters. We all still unequivocally consider our mother to be a part of the family. She exists in memory and she continues to influence our family to this day. Sadly I can no longer see her or talk to her, so instead I hang her pictures to help me remember. Your boyfriend is right on the mark, I totally expect my father to leave her pictures up for the benefit of his children and his grandchildren. We are a family and these photographs are important to our history.

Part of loving, loosing, and grieving well means coming to terms with who and what you’ve lost and finding ways to integrate their memory into your continued existence. When someone dies they don’t just disappear. I mean, consider that prospect; after you die would you want your loved ones to hide your pictures away and never utter your name? I think not. And what does it mean if this is someone’s reaction after 38 years of marriage? My guess would be they are avoiding the pain of their late-spouses memory or they are being pressured by their new insecure girlfriend to take them down.

And trust me, if you’re coming off insecure, jealous, and threated to me, there’s a good chance this is how you’re coming off to his children. I’m sure they have a few hopes for the next woman in their father’s life and you are not off to a good start by pushing him to erase the memory of their mother. The message your sending is not that he needs to move on, it’s that he needs to forget.

You’re feeling that “you just don’t know if he’s ready for his next life” is probably spot on. Why? Because there’s no such thing as a ‘next life’. True story. Your past influences your present and your future. Who we are today is a reflection of where we’ve been and what we do tomorrow is influenced by today. You will not be your boyfriends ‘next’ family because he already has one, the most you can hope for is that the next chapter involves a happy merging of his family and yours.

So here is some legit advice: just as with any relationship, seeking the approval of those closest to your mate is an important task, try to tread a little lighter while on their familial turf. And the next time you see your boyfriend and/or his children, you should speak his late wife’s name and acknowledge her. Without being disingenuous, ask them about her. What was she like? What do they miss? What was she good at? What kind of a mother was she? This will let them know that YOU know you can never take her place and reassure them that you understand she will always be a part of the family's past, present, and future.

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131 Comments on "What's Your Question: Should my boyfriend still display photos of his late wife?"

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  1. Bobbi  January 7, 2023 at 8:12 pm Reply

    I have been dating a guy the last 7 months and just over two years ago he lost his girlfriend.
    He keeps sharing memories of her on FB and it really bothers me and not to mention he has her pictures in his apartment.
    Oh and just recently I was sewing a hole in his jacket where his girlfriend had left some pins.
    He got really excited and told me not to throw them away that he wanted to keep them.
    I honestly don’t know if I should try and hang on or just let go.

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    • Litsa  January 9, 2023 at 2:12 pm Reply

      Bobbi, it sounds like his connection to her memory is bringing up insecurities about your relationship with him. Grief is an ongoing process and two years ago is not very long ago to have lost someone. Those continued connections are a way that you can get closer to him, getting to know her through his memories and stories, while also supporting him in his grief. But it will mean exploring what about this makes you feel uncomfortable or insecure. It can help to ask, if it had been his sister who died, would these types of things bother you? If not, what is the difference with it being about his girlfriend who died? Often at it’s core, when people feel insecure because of things like sharing memories or keeping up photos, it is because they are feeling worried that the person will never love them as much as they loved the person who died, and the photos remind them of that. Sometimes it can help to label that feeling, if it feels like it applies to you. Being able to express to him that you understand that he will always love and be connected to her, but that it can make you feel worried that you will never live up or be enough (or whatever it is that it might be bringing up for you) can help him to be more thoughtful and understanding of the emotional experience you’re having. When he shares those memories online, it can help to check in with yourself about why it bothers you. Is it about how you worry others perceive it? If he was sharing more things with the two of you together, would that help you feel more secure that there is space for both the memories and the relationship he has with you now? When someone is gone, those left to grieve often feel like they are the one thing keeping that person from being forgotten. Dating someone new can often leave people worrying that other people in their life will think they have forgotten the person who died, or that people will now be scared to bring the person up any more and share memories. You have to figure out what is right for you, and if you aren’t comfortable with the way he connects to her memory – even after you talk with him about your feelings, that’s okay. Dating someone who lost a partner is hard and complicated. But if you can explore some of your own feelings, talk with him about those, then ask and understand some of his feelings and why the connection is important to him, you might find yourself in a place where this makes your relationship much stronger. Best wishes in this process – it is hard and there are no easy or right answers.

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    • Suzanne  May 22, 2023 at 5:04 pm Reply

      Bobbi, some people can accept it, others of us cannot. I have been in a relationship with a widower for 4 years and the first year was brutal. We met on the 4 anniversary of the death of his late wife. To his credit, the home had been cleared of many of the LW’s personal things and any photos were limited to one shelf in the living room. We now share a different house, and there are only 2 pictures of the LW on display. One is of her with her dog and it’s in the room his adult daughter sleeps in when she visits. The other is a small photo of her with a group of other skiiers as a very young woman. I did take offense to the couples photos on display in the TV room that we frequent. He doesn’t have to forget her and he doesn’t have to get rid of any of their photos, but I am the woman he is with now and we share a home. Out of respect for me, he needs to be present in this relationship and give me the same courtesy he gave his late wife – to no have to see photos of other women in her home. I am not threatened by her in the least, but I can tell you that these visual reminders actually hold my partner back. They do not make him happy – they make him sad and he tends to slip into unhealthy moods. He will never forget her and the love he has for her will never die, but he is so much more happy and healthy NOW than when he was dwelling on his loss, and he is much more present and emotionally available in our relationship. Some spouse will grieve the loss of their partner for the rest of their lives, but if they are still “in love” with their deceased partner, they have no right to present themselves as ready for a relationship, entangling the heart of a new person who just wants to be loved fully and completely without the spectre of a ghost in their relationship.

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  2. Jo  October 1, 2022 at 12:29 am Reply

    My fiancé had photos of his deceased wife in the bedroom. This made me feel very uncomfortable.
    I don’t understand the significance and it was hurtful, I felt like a mistress. I asked him to please move them.
    Their wedding portrait is still up, she passed 13 years ago. I could understand photos in the Children’s room, they are grown now. They no longer live home and photos are still displayed throughout the home.
    How does one start a new relationship/marriage with photos of a former spouse around the home?

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  3. Summer  May 11, 2022 at 8:27 pm Reply

    A year and a half ago my fiancé passed away three months after having our son. A little while later I moved to a new apartment and had some pictures of us and our son hung up. I recently started dating someone I’ve told him a lot of what happened and even though my sons dad cheated on me and didn’t treat me well I want my son to be able to grow up knowing what his father looks like. My boyfriend gets upset frequently about pictures on the wall, after he mentioned it a couple times I ended up taking some pictures down and replacing ones with us. I ended up moving one to my sons room in addition to the one that had always been there. My son isn’t even two yet. After I made those steps to make him feel more comfortable, he was still upset that I moved the picture to his room instead of taking it down, and thinks I shouldn’t have any pictures of my sons dad hung up because “it will confuse him” and “give him nightmares”. I’ve tried explaining how I think it would be better for him to see the picture and be able to ask questions rather than having to question everything from what his dad looks like and why he can’t have pictures.
    Is it normal/ healthy to have the picture in my sons room?

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    • Litsa  June 1, 2022 at 12:01 pm Reply

      It is absolutely normal, healthy, and encouraged. Research has shown that almost all children wish they had more memories of their parent who died and that people shared more stories, photos, and memories. The children who struggle most tend to be those where there is a culture of silence about the parent who died. As they get older and begin to understand more, there is a tendency to develop resentment if they were not given the opportunity to build a relationship with their parent who died through others’ memories and stories. If you have any hesitation, please reach out to a local childhood bereavement center or look at resources from the National Alliance for Children’s Grief. Most importantly, you know your grief and your child best. It sounds like your partner is letting his own emotions cloud his ability to hear and listen to your and your child’s needs. I would encourage you and your partner (possibly together) to listen to this podcast episode. It highlights what is the usual pattern when photos of a deceased partner brings up feelings for the new partner – https://www.estherperel.com/podcasts/wswb-esther-calling-will-he-make-the-space-for-me

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  4. CS  March 23, 2022 at 9:34 am Reply

    Same issue. Seeing my ex for 8 years. It was bothering me to have a picture on his screensaver on phone when I am with him. Each time it rings the pictures flash. My daughter ask who it is. I explain. I felt weird with the photo at his bedside staring down and on the phone.

    I realize that this is my insecurity and not wanting people to think that I am a fill in. He asked me why I was distant. I explained. He walked out and told me I was immature. After I had some time to think, he is right. His family tried to break us up. We overcame all that drama. My family is not any better. The kids love and respect him now. The sad thing is that we are going our separate ways. Learned a lot from this relationship. I’m going to miss him. Life goes on.

  5. Joe stuber  March 5, 2022 at 10:12 am Reply

    I have been dating a wonderful lady for nine months. She has been widowed for a little over four years. She tells me she loves me, that I am her everything, and she wants to be together forever. I feel the same about her although it scares me to death. So why am I scared?? There are not just photos displayed in her house but there are virtual monuments. Her entire front yard is filled with tablets, benches, wind chimes, and concrete stepping stones all dedicated to her late husband. There are more inside. The garage still has all of his wall hangings and paraphernalia all the way down to the nicotine stained walls where he used to sit and smoke. In the house itself are more monuments to him. Many I am sure we’re gifts from friends but many are collages of pictures of the two of them together over the years with phrases she included like you are my one and only true love and always will be. These picture collages and memories are everywhere throughout the house. She still wears her ten year diamond anniversary ring on her left ring finger and her diamond engagement ring on her right ring finger. After spending nine months together it has gotten very serious between us. I can’t help but think that if she truly felt the way she says she does that by now she would have started putting some of it away. At the very least possibly consolidating some of it into one room!! I am beginning to lose hope that I can ever be anything other than a consolation prize!!

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    • Litsa  March 11, 2022 at 8:20 pm Reply

      You are only a consolation prize if you see yourself that way. The reality of dating a widow is that you are with someone who would (usually) still be with someone else if that person hadn’t died. But that does not mean you are secondary to or less than that person who is gone. Your fear that you will never live up to her relationship with him is something that resides in you, not in her or those items. But that doesn’t mean you can’t talk to her about it! Letting her know about the feelings you are having of inadequacy is important, so she is aware of your feelings and that the items bring that up for you. From there you could also ask her to better communicate to her what those items do and mean to her. Many widows wan the connection themselves, but many widows who are dating worry that others will perceive them as having “moved on” or “replaced” their late spouses, so sometimes those items are a way to show others somethings she worries they won’t understand. There are many other reasons too. Once you both have a better understanding of the feelings these items bring up in you and what they represent, it may be easier for each of you to honor the other person’s needs. She may then be more open to moving certain things. You also might consider if her putting some things up that represent the two of you might also help. Partners often focus on wanting the person to take things down, but then find that if the person starts displaying photos from their new, shared life together, that it was really them imbalance that was more hurtful (still lots of pictures of him/them, very few or none of me/us). There is no right or wrong with these things, so you’ll need to navigate it in the way that works for you, but communication can go a LONG way!

      • Joe stuber  March 13, 2022 at 3:31 pm

        Thank you for the reply. Your answer was 100 percent correct. I was in the midst of a one man immature pity party when I posted my comment. Communication is, and always is the key. The problem I have is self-inflicted.

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      • Joan  September 20, 2022 at 1:35 pm

        I completely disagree with your statement.
        Photos of a divorced husband would not be accepted. We don’t marry to get divorced. We marry to death do us part. Okay, divorce happens for whatever reason, doesn’t mean it hurts any less, it’s death of a relationship and family.
        Death is bound to happen!!
        If a widow or widower is ready to move on into a serious relationship and marry, if the new spouse is uncomfortable with the continuous memorial of photos etc, the new significant others feelings should be respected.
        Not saying they widow or widower should forget their past, but there certainly is a place for it and that’s why they call it the past and where it should stay.
        The divorce rate of widow and widowers are really high, most likely because of blogs like this.

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  6. Tony  November 8, 2021 at 12:02 am Reply

    I have been dating a widow with 2 kids for almost 3 years now where her husband passed 8 years ago and I need some advice. I totally understand and respect the pictures in her house due to her kids, celebrating his death anniversary, his birthday and their wedding anniversary with her kids with some sort of celebration with her family for each event but is it really necessary for her to post pictures from all of those events on social media as well where she has never posted anything about our anniversary or recognized me as her new partner. Since I never dated a widow, I’m trying to be understanding as much as possible because I love her but I don’t want to feel like someone she hides to the world.

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    • Marva Patricia  December 6, 2022 at 7:37 pm Reply

      I am a widdow for 9 years and my husband passed away but I have nothing in my possession for him the memory of my last husband is in my heart. Even I did love him but I have to let go of my passed and don’t let me be afraid from moving on meany times we allowed our past eat out our presence and putting pressure on our presence yes we did have a good relationship but we have to respect the fact that he is one longer here so I think this is time for me to move on and clear my passed on move to my future els I will dies on my own that what scared me most. but I want a God fearing man what the age of 58 or 60years to call my own

  7. Caseyatthebat  July 20, 2021 at 4:06 pm Reply

    I am tired of widows and widowers thinking they get a pass on treating their new partners with thoughtfulness and tenderness. In case people haven’t noticed, divorced people grieve over the loss of their marriage and partner too. But if we tried to keep photos and keepsakes of our exes all over the house, we would be considered selfish and inconsiderate.

    Do not start a new relationship, whether it came about because of death or divorce, until you are ready to put the last one to bed. No one thinks you should have to act like the former spouse/love didn’t exist. But there can only be two in a marriage.

    Do you want the second person in your relationship to be a living, breathing, loving partner or do you want it to be a memory? If so, move your bed to the cemetery and let the new person in your life move on to someone who will treat them right.

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    • Litsa  July 26, 2021 at 7:58 pm Reply

      A new relationship does not always require putting memories of deceased spouse away. Many, many healthy relationships of widows with their new partners include the memory of the spouse who died – many new partners find this comfortable, and even enjoy getting to know the spouse who died through photos and memories. That said, not all people want that in a relationship – and that’s absolutely okay. It is not for everyone. You are allowed to have whatever needs that you have in a relationship. But it is important to remember that in grief it is normal and healthy to continue connections and memories with a person who died and it doesn’t hurt new relationships with partners who are comfortable with it (it can even strengthen them). This is why many widows seek partners who are comfortable with that. That is often what a widow needs – which is also absolutely okay. This is not divorce, it is death. They are both so hard for many reasons, but they are very, very different. The issue here is not to blame the widow for their need, it is to recognize that not all people are cut out to date widows – and that is fine! But it is not the widow’s fault. Many widows move forward from their loss with the memory of their deceased spouse, and they create plenty of space for new people and relationships. We don’t have a finite amount of love to give, so there is plenty of room for memories in new relationships. That doesn’t work for all partners and that’s okay – everyone deserves to have their needs met in a relationship. That might mean saying that you don’t feel comfortable with dating a widow, because they can’t meet that need. But that is not a fault of the widow. It is simply your personal need that they are unable to meet. And they have a need to maintain the memory that you are unable to meet. Neither is right or wrong, they are simply different needs that don’t align. The only options are not a “living, breathing, loving partner or a memory”. The third option is one of a partner who is comfortable welcoming the memory of the deceased spouse, while still creating a healthy, loving, full and meaningful life with the widow. And for the person dating the widow, it leaves them with the question: do you want the second person in your relationship to be a living, breathing, loving person who trusts you enough to want to share with you the love they shared for their deceased spouse or is it someone else, who doesn’t need that from you? Either option is okay, but it often takes honest self-reflection and openness from both parties to get there.

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  8. Bella  May 23, 2021 at 7:29 am Reply

    My widower lost his wife 3 years ago and is moving on, but not moving forward. I would like for him to make three changes in his house. One, move his den’s large couple’s portrait into another room. Two, wear a new necklace instead of the commemorative one with a dangling cross. Three, rid the homecare room of medical necessities. His bedroom is the only room he has made any changes in. Advice? How do I proceed? Leave him? Stay and accept him, and his house the way it is? We have had an exclusive relationship for two years, but I do not know if I should continue being in his home since I don’t always enjoy his company for reasons mentioned above.

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  9. Lacie  April 23, 2021 at 11:37 pm Reply

    I agree and disagree somewhat with this post. I 100% agree with the fact that grief is something processed differently by everyone, there is no time stamp on it’s process, and no guideline as to how it should be experienced. It is a personal journey. I have not lost a partner, but I have lost the only parent I had, and it was devastating, and while I’ve worked through it as best I can, every now and then I still have moments that sting. I do understand it is a different relationship from a widower/widow.

    Back to the post. I’ve dated a widower for 2 1/2 years now. His wife passed 8 years ago, and his children were still very young when it happened, 2 and 4. I love him, and I do believe he loves me. Our collective children blend well, and like any couple we have our ups and downs, but we’re happy in our time
    together. We’ve discussed moving in together off and on, even possibly getting married some day. But this is all still very unsure, and at this point is only talk. I am confident that we work well together, but not so confident that we can move forward as we have touched discussed. Why?

    There are still over 50 photos of his wife prominently on display in his home, including a full blown 3’x5′ painting in the main hall. I have NO problem with photos, especially for the kids, yet over half are couple photos, which make me feel awkward. And no I would not ask him to take them down. A memorial shrine is on display in the family room with gifts, tokens, and memorials from her passing. A part of his closet still contains her underwear and clothes. The furniture they picked together, well worn and some falling apart, he will not clean or repair. Blood from her illness, yes blood, still on the carpets that he says he will remove but doesn’t.

    I love him, but I don’t know if we can move past what we are.

    Maybe when dating a widower/widow this is the best it gets? I feel as the person dating a widower, articles such as this make you feel guilty for wanting your person to be able to move on into something new. I don’t want him to forget his past, just be willing to move forward. And in all of the pictures, and clothes, and the family home trapped in time, I’m feeling lost in it all.

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  10. Teresa R copeland  March 3, 2021 at 12:29 am Reply

    I have been dating a man that lost his wife a year ago. We have been dating for 10 months. He talked about marriage but has expressed to me that he would never change his profile Facebook picture of her. I could not imagine being married to a man with his deceased wife as his permanent profile picture. Every time I tell him I love him I see her face. Instead of our wedding picture, it would be her face and I would be second to her. I could handle photos of her in the house but not as a profile picture. It is like he doesn’t want to start a new marriage but instead just wants a person to keep him company. How should I feel?

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    • Teresa R Copeland  March 4, 2021 at 2:04 am Reply

      My future husband refuses to take his deceased wife’s photo off of his profile picture. How can we move forward? I believe he should have photos of her and grieve but in the case of a profile photo I can’t marry a man one day and see her on his profile photo on my honeymoon.

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    • Lacie  April 24, 2021 at 12:03 am Reply

      Hi Teresa,
      I hope you don’t take this the wrong way because it is nothing against you, but if his wife passed a year ago and you have both dated for most of that year, he is probably still very much in the prime of his grief and may not have been able to really process it. The man I’ve been dating for 2 1/2 years still has a plethora of items and pictures on display and his wife passed 8 years ago, so he still hasn’t processed it to a certain point either. It is something I struggle with off and on as far as where I belong even though I believe in my heart that he really loves me. I wish you the best!

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    • Rae  November 22, 2021 at 9:34 pm Reply

      Oh my god I feel the same exact way I just started dating this guy and he wants me around like 24-7 but there’s still pictures of him and her in every main room of the house even his bedroom her wedding rings are hanging on a necklace above his bed and he’s got her ashes in the bedroom in the corner of the room room n a carioc cabinet….. idk he says he’s in like in love with me and even said what if he wanted more ?? But it’s hard to believe when he’s got all that going on I fill like a filler ! Someone to substitute that’s all

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  11. Tina Di Sotto  December 12, 2020 at 8:42 pm Reply

    Advice please!
    I recently got engaged to a widower, he lost his late wife nearly 12 months ago, they talked about him moving on when she passed. We ha e known eachother 27 years – he was my first partners brother and only recently realised we had feelings for eachother. We got engaged 2 months ago and I moved in with him this week. We are very much in love and its like we were meant to be.
    My issue is that he talks about her which is fine, but he will say things like ‘ we don’t do that’, ‘we do it like this’ or ‘we always do this…’

    Their photos are everywhere, clothes still hanging up, clasped hands cast, perfume, jewellery, make-up, handbag, slippers etc are still all over the house including her phones. I have no room to put my belongings anywhere. I even found her engagement ring which is the same design as the one he gave me. I’ve even found a lock of her hair.
    He took me to her grave and showed me his plot that is reserved next to her. The furniture in the house was selected by them together as they upcycled furniture together so the bed is the one they shared.

    He says all the time that this is my home but I feel like an intruder.
    I’ve moved 600 miles leaving my grown up children which I don’t regret because they have their own lives and only got to see them when they needed me but I’m feeling low. The locals are all friends of theirs too and it’s a very remote island.
    I understand that I’ve been a single mom and independent single woman for most of my life discounting a failed awful but thankfully brief marriage and so change will be hard and I completely understand how devasted he was to lose her after the life they shared together and that he will need time but I would love to hear people’s thoughts on how I should approach him about it.
    TIA

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    • IsabelleS  December 14, 2020 at 11:52 am Reply

      Tina, I understand that it must be difficult for you to hear him talk about his late wife and to be constantly surrounded by her belongings. However, an important part of dating a widow is keeping in mind that the person will probably always want to continue bonds in some way with their late husband or wife. You must come to terms with the reality that that is not a problem, but rather a product of natural and healthy grief. You should also keep in mind that his late wife passed only a year ago… He may need more time to go through her belongings. There is no clear answer about whether or how you should approach him… Do what you feel is right, but keep in mind that he may simply not be ready–and may never be ready–to “let her go.” All the best to you.

  12. brendacantrell19@gmail.com  December 8, 2020 at 2:33 am Reply

    My boyfriend has been married 3 times, my husband passed away 3 years ago, I found out he cheated through out our marriage. Is it ok for me to put things of him out that the girls got for my tree. My boyfriend is a great man, he understands what I’m going through. But I don’t want to hurt him
    Brenda

    • IsabelleS  December 9, 2020 at 11:18 am Reply

      Brenda, there is no “right” answer to this question. Perhaps you could talk to your boyfriend prior to putting the things out? I personally think there is nothing wrong with commemorating the life of your husband… But if you’re worried about hurting your boyfriend, then a simple conversation could help clear things up!

  13. Angie  November 12, 2020 at 8:59 am Reply

    Question: I’m dating a widow and is it right for him to say “if I don’t love his late wife’s family then I don’t love him” ?

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    • Ellie  January 14, 2021 at 6:34 am Reply

      Your widower is ridicules. I would never expect my partner to love my own family, my mother, father, siblings and him expecting you to love his late wife family is simply childish way of lower quality, man. Being civil around them yes he could expect as long as they are civil around you too but loving them? Does he love you? Tell him that you won’t love them because he demands it from you. If they deserve it, treat you with love and care maybe one day you will love some of them.

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      • Nancy  March 3, 2021 at 12:45 pm

        I have dated a widow for several years. His wife passed almost 6 years ago. He had her ashes next to the bedside. I explained nicely that this made me very uncomfortable both sleeping and having intercourse with them there. He seemed to understand and placed them somewhere else in the home. I’m not sure where I never asked him. He even went a step further and removed photos of her from the refrigerator and around the home which I did not ask him to do. This took place approximately 3 half years ago. Last night his son who also lives in the home at age 25 went into the attic. This am her ashes were back next to his bed. I broke up with the boyfriend today. As I believe this is a conspiracy between the sister who does not approve of me and the son who thinks I’m a threat to his future home. Was I wrong in respecting myself in this?

        11
  14. Jenise  September 16, 2020 at 4:10 pm Reply

    Why would my ex-husband try to name his new baby what we discussed to name our baby

  15. Carla  September 12, 2020 at 12:38 am Reply

    I completely disagree! I am married 3 years to a widower. Her clothes were in the closet the day I moved in after our wedding! Three years later I’m still finding old love letters. He finds a way to add her to conversations with friends it’s so humiliating that I wish I could disappear at that moment! Think about our feelings,too.

    20
    • Sofia  February 14, 2021 at 12:22 am Reply

      Agree with you so much Carla.
      I do agree they need space to work their grief, I do agree they need time to deal with the loss, I can’t agree they have the right to live a double life. Of course we will never forget people who belonged to our past and that’s not the intention, but from the moment they decide to rebuild a new life next to someone else, it’s supposed to give to the new person, the same chances, love, moments and commitment that they give to the first one.
      I really feel sorry for their loss but if they chose to rebuild their life, it’s really unfair to subject the other person to a life and to memories that don’t belong to them.

      14
  16. Alex  August 23, 2020 at 9:40 pm Reply

    My husband and I have a friend that lost her true love about 6 years ago. She still has his ashes and will most times carry them with her. The hard part is, not only are his ashes being carried around, but now she’s trying to replace her loss with my husband. She constantly talks about how my husband has the same qualities has her lost love and often times follows him around so as to be alone with him and many times pushes me out of the way. She always takes to needing approval from my husband and when I try to get involved it’s like I’m invisible. She often times brings us to places that her and her lost love has spent time but when my husband and I try to be alone she seeks attention by acting like a tempered child. It seems that there is a level of danger some strange things have been said. I know her loss is painful but the loss I feel is like me feeling her loss. Anytime I try to tell her she needs help it’s always one excuse after another. The arguments in my own house are getting hard to cope with over this topic of her loss and is destroying my own family. Should I be worried about this?

    1
  17. Ruby Henderson  August 3, 2020 at 1:13 pm Reply

    You are absolutely wrong! Being the child of a deceased parent has absolutely no correlation with having a relationship with someone who is widowed. To the person coming into the relationship, it is overwhelming to move into the widowed’s house where the former spouse resided. I see NO difference in leaving a photo of a deceased spouse up and leaving a photo of a past lover up. I can’t share in those memories with him, and so it has no relevance in our household. What is decorating the house shouldn’t be relevant to just one person in the relationship. I have no issue with my widower talking about her once in awhile but, I have great issues with keeping her alive in our relationship which is what a photo on the wall every day does. It’s not going to bring her back and how about some respect for the living?

    33
    • Litsa  August 3, 2020 at 10:06 pm Reply

      Grief is about learning to have a relationship with a person who died. We carry loved ones who have died into the future and research shows, time and time again, those grieving find the most supportive and loving relationships in their grief (romantic and otherwise) are from those who could understand and honor that. Everyone grieves differently and all relationships are different, so perhaps this will work for you and for your partner, for him to keep his history with his wife to himself. Research certainly doesn’t account for every case or situation! But I would encourage you to consider – if his mother or brother died before you knew him and he had photos up, would you feel the same – not wanting to hear about them because they have no relevance to your household? You say you can’t share in those memories, but we can never literally share the memories of a person we love from anything in life that happened before we met them. We can’t share in the memories of what happened to them last week at work if we weren’t there with them! But we still often engage with these memories – stories of high school or college, or former jobs, of trips, and on and on, because it brings us closer. It helps us to learn and share in their history not because we were there for it, but because we now understand what it means to them and what it means to who they are today. No article can tell you what is right or wrong for you and your partner – only the two of you can decide that. But if you came here looking for information about this, I would encourage you to ask him why the photos are important to him, why he keeps them up. And I would encourage you to ask yourself what about them makes you uncomfortable. There may be no middle ground. But with a conversation, if nothing else, you will hopefully both understand one anothers’ needs a bit more.

      2
    • Corey  January 4, 2021 at 11:28 am Reply

      You’re so focused on yourself that I’m inclined to say, “it’s your problem, not his.” You’re either jealous or insecure, or maybe even both. If he have kids, guess what? You married him, his kids are a part of your life now, and the deceased spouse is THEIR mother, NOT you! His deceased spouse is already buried, and here you are literally trying to bury the very memory of her.

      We all have pasts, but the passing of a spouse is a whole other animal. You should have known this before you entered the relationship. Unfortunately, you probably too caught up with the feelings to think rationally on that particular subject. But there is not “moving on” from a deceased spouse. You can “let go” through acceptance of their passing, but you never “move on” because they are with you FOREVER. She didn’t exit his life in a bad light the way ex’s do, so to compare her being dead to an ex is just ridiculous! Get a grip on yourself and understand this has everything to do with YOUR insecurities.

      4
    • Suzanne Morss  January 20, 2021 at 5:21 pm Reply

      Wow, you are one twisted, cold human being. I hope you never date a widow(er). It would be too much for them.

    • Sofia  February 14, 2021 at 12:30 am Reply

      Completely agree with you Ruby. One thing is to respect the memories and past, other thing is to keep late partners alive in a new relationship. If widowers/widows chose to rebuild a new life, they need to be prepared to offer the same level of love, commitment and future they gave to the late one. It’s extremely unhealthy to everyone not being building new memories, new stories and a new life.

      10
    • Amy  February 15, 2021 at 8:04 pm Reply

      Agreed. Family photos are one thing, photos of the late wife/husband everywhere are another. Especially their things, clothes, etc. most don’t choose to have a relationship w/3 people when dating someone exclusively. When the surviving spouse has not accepted the loss, a/he can’t really make room for a new relationship. That is precisely what “not ready” is.

      8
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  20. cynthia  April 2, 2020 at 8:52 pm Reply

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  21. anuradha  January 23, 2020 at 2:51 pm Reply

    I am a married lady, I feel something special to my brother in law. Still I love my husband deeply. I didn’t convince my feelings to my brother in law, but I am 100%sure that he too loves me. I m thinking about him from the morning to night I couldn’t recognize what is wrong or right

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  23. Jenny  December 17, 2019 at 2:45 pm Reply

    Hello,
    I met this amazing widower 3 months ago and everything has been amazing from the first day. He has been a widower for 6 months. Once in a while, he would tell me that he was sad (for example, on her birthday) but then he would be back to normal. The week of Thanksgiving he got really depressed but hasn’t been able to bounce back. We gave each other space for that week and the following week he asked to see me again and he acted normal with me but on Monday he was depressed again. His therapist advised him that he should not be dating when he is so torn emotionally. His job even told him to take some time off to figure things out. I totally understand that he needs to get better but I am also torn because he is an amazing man and I do not want to lose him forever.

    2
  24. Ruby Henderson  December 12, 2019 at 8:39 pm Reply

    your advice couldn’t be more wrong! It’s absolutely rude to leave momentos of a past relationship about if a widower wants to move forward. No one wants to see someone’s past relationships glorified. It’s hard enough for a woman to come into a relationship period, much less make it more difficult for the LIVING person by a dead person’s history. The idea behind etiquette is to make people feel comfortable. It’s extremely uncomfortable for the living person- the dead person doesn’t care.

    9
  25. kesha  September 19, 2019 at 10:16 pm Reply

    last week my husband has presented me with divorce papers.

  26. Chris  September 14, 2019 at 8:44 pm Reply

    The issue is that it seems widows seem to widow more than once in their life I know widows usually females …so dating a widow for marriage…u could be next one in the pot!! ….this could be that first husband…check if he approves…talk to him tru professionally.. but u may like so u no need to care for wife if she goes first…cos u be the the husband to go!! But its very eerie… I chat to widows they say they married min of twice..and still looking since marriage life they like…? can someone explain this

  27. sheila koegher  August 12, 2019 at 9:12 am Reply

    My husband came back to me after weeks of separation that almost led to divorce There was allot of difficulty to bring him back to our marriage vows. My husband cheats on me like he has fallen out of love with me.

  28. sheila koegher  August 12, 2019 at 9:09 am Reply

    My husband came back to me after weeks of separation that almost led to divorce There was allot of difficulty to bring him back to our marriage vows.

  29. Rebecca BERRISFORD  August 7, 2019 at 12:51 pm Reply

    I feel so lost.
    I met a man I thought was happy with me but behind my back he was posting in the paper he missed his wife more than words can say. Made me sister with her parents at Christmas and her father was horrible to me. I had to live put of a bag when I stayed at his house due to his wifes stuff everywhere. Her toiletries etc still in the draw yet it wasnt their marital home.
    He sent me a message saying how amazing his sex life was with his wife. He told me if his wife was alive I’d never get a look in.
    He also said if we was stood next to each other he would choose me as I’m.prettier. I’m absolutely mortified at this.

    I’m absolutely devastated at all this. Now I’m so jealous and hurt over someone who is not here. I have visited the cemetery and put plants and flowers down and I help bring up his three children but every so often I get he has lost his wife thrown at me.

    I’m just so so hurt and I find this not right? I appreciate grief but is this normal????
    It doesn’t feel like it.
    I am nothing like hes wife, I’m taller, long hair, wear make up and heels and I have tons of friends and I am active etc. He tries to change me sometimes and he can be quite cruel to me but when I say I bet you wasnt like this with your wife I get a lot thrown at me.
    I feel like I cant do anything without being judged as Ia am not his wife!

    I’m gutted as I see widowers and divorcees happily married, who celebrate the past together but he puts his wife so far up on a pedastal I feel I will never beloved for me.

    6

    1
    • Cotillion  August 24, 2019 at 9:25 am Reply

      Hello Rebecca,

      I hesitate to give such critical advice, but this is not normal. Grieving often makes people appear more innocent, but one must remember: mean people lose loved ones too. I see one of two options for the behavior you describe: 1) he is consciously manipulative, or 2) he is truly unaware this is remarkably disrespectful. I would argue it makes no difference, as it seems to be consistent behavior. Take the moments he puts down the deceased while comparing them to you: this is not putting his wife up on a pedestal, he is using her as a tool of manipulation. If he is willing degrade his deceased partner–her, and he is clearly willing to disrespect a living partner–you, then she likely got the same treatment when she was alive.

      But also, do not see this situation in absolutes. You mention his home was full of her things, and it sounds like he struggles to move on, yes, but do not conflate the causes behind this instance–grief–with the causes behind his other degrading actions.

      I feel a bit bad for writing this, but I feel the need to reiterate: bad people lose loved ones too. You are intelligent, you can take care of yourself, trust your judgment.

      1
  30. Chelsey Robins  August 7, 2019 at 9:50 am Reply

    My husband child died and the child’s mother call and text him for comfort. All day and night.
    Is this ok?

  31. Diana Kitch  July 5, 2019 at 3:55 pm Reply

    My new husbands wife died from cancer and her final days were spent in the bed that we sleep in . In fact, she died in it. My husband says the bed cost too much to buy a new one. What should I do ?

    2
    • SD  November 7, 2019 at 11:12 pm Reply

      My fiance said the exact same thing to me. Even though I’m not comfortable and his children/ in -laws expressed anger/discomfort about me sleeping in ‘her bed’, he says he paid too much to get another one. And, I don’t know if this ‘Dear ____’ has a degree in counseling or anything but it is completely ok to not want to look at another woman (dead or alive) in your sleeping (intimate) space. Did she have to live on top of another woman when she met and moved in with him? I get to be the queen of my bedroom and there is nothing wrong with me for wanting/needing that. There are plenty of pictures everywhere in the house but, they don’t have to be in my bedroom. Children have no say about the goings on in my bedroom, including decoration choices. Do not allow anyone to make you feel bad or emotionally deficient for following your truth.

      5
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  35. TC  May 10, 2019 at 5:51 pm Reply

    Does anybody have advice on what to do with a widow on her last night in her marital home? My friend unexpentantly lost her husband just over a year ago. She has now sold their home and is moving into something smaller. I am going to spend her last night in her marital home and am sure it will be emotional. Any advice?

    1
  36. Tricia  April 30, 2019 at 9:40 am Reply

    I see that this is a very old blog but still, I am in need of some direction and you all seem very well versed in this specific situation. So, I am a divorcee x 2 both times it was due to infidelity on their parts, the first time we had been together for 17 years and a wonderful marriage and 2 beautiful children and the 2nd lasted only 3 hellish years, thankfully God did NOT allow children to be created. So I have been single for the past 5 years and have always felt like one of my purposes in life is to be a Wife, even though I was robbed from it twice, I still believe Love exists and am ready for it. So, because of all my “experience” with marriage, relationships and men.. I have always felt like I have a good “handle” on things.. up until now! Yes, you guessed it, I have met a Widower and he has stolen my heart. He and his late wife had a 22 year marriage but the last 5 years of it was a disaster as she became addicted to prescription drugs and got herself mixed up in a lot of really bad situations, his car was repo’ed etc. so for the last 3 years before her accident, they were sleeping in separate rooms all together. Their marriage was on the split but he refused to give up because he said he was “desperate to keep his family together” they have a grown daughter that is now 20. His late wife passed on Christmas day after being home from rehab for only 1 day and left on a “trip” with someone (one of her relatives) that was “the cause” of most of her addictions. So, only 2 months after her death, he and I met. I was very leery because of the short amount of time but I took into account that they had actually lived as “separated” for over 3 years prior to her accident so I felt like he was most likely “ready” for a real relationship. He has had many ups and down for the past 6 months but all-in-all we have gotten through them all. His daughter has welcomed me with open arms because she says “this is the first time I have seen dad happy in so long” so I am very grateful. I am irrevocably in love with this man, he is everything I have prayed for in a mate. He loves God more than anything and desires to serve him with his whole heart, as do I. We have many many things in common but there are a few things that cause me concern and I am asking for a little direction from those of you that may have some answers to help me. 1. He does still refer to her as “my wife” I only recently discovered what her name actually was and that was from one of her family members. This wouldn’t be much of an issue except due to my extenuating circumstances in my past eg. being cheated on by 2 different men, when he refers to her as “my wife” it makes me cringe and feel as if I am “the other women” and that I am some how and adultress, now I know that sounds silly to some, but I am just being perfectly honest. 2. He has said only a few times that he indeed “loves” me but he says “sometimes, I feel so in love with you and other times, I just really like you” now this is highly confusing to me, because I love him all the time.. even when he says or does something without thinking and I become offended. My love for him doesn’t sway. 3. He has told me more than once that he fears he “may not be able to love me as deeply” as he loved her and worries that wouldn’t be fair to me. I have explained to him that love is like a seed that has been planted and everyday is watered by kindness, intimacy and sweet gestures and over time, that seed will continue to grow and grow so I would be foolish to expect him to have the same “love” for me in only 6 months that he had for her for over 22 years. 4. And this is the one that is the absolute most alarming to me, at least once a week he goes through this dark period where he is constantly asking “Why, why did ‘this’ have to happen to my family, Why is she gone, Why did I fight for my family for 5 long painful years.. all for Nothing, Why did she have to die…etc” and I’m left feeling like if he is struggling this much over losing her and “his family” then maybe his isn’t ready to add me to his family?! Am I being foolish, or is this something that is normal behavior? I want to say “But, if this terrible thing would NOT have happened, then we would have never met..” but I would never say such a thing because I wouldn’t want to hurt him, I am just trying to be as understanding and empathetic as I possibly can… He says he wants to marry me “when the time is right” and I would love to be his wife but right now, I have many mixed emotions and I seek counsel. Could someone please help! Thanks, and God Bless- Tricia

  37. mccart  April 14, 2019 at 6:23 pm Reply

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  38. Carol  April 2, 2019 at 4:54 am Reply

    I recently dated a widower. His wife, God rest her soul, passed away 16 months ago. I am 43 and he is 53, with 2 grown sons. I have no family of my own and I have never been married. We only dated for a short time but he is the most amazing man and I like him very much. He told me, just this week, that he’s not ready for a relationship as he is being consumed by guilt over me. After each date, he has been consumed with guilt. He thought that he was ready but he feels like he is cheating. Thankfully, he is engaging with services to deal with his grief. My heart goes out to him in this situation and I completely understand his feelings. It’s normal. I have left it open for him to contact me sometime in the future, when he is ready. My question is, is this a waste of time? Will I always just be a reminder of a time when he was consumed with grief and guilt? He’s the best man that I have ever met.

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  42. Megan C  November 4, 2018 at 7:54 pm Reply

    It has nothing to do with insecurity. It has to do with respect. What other group of women do you know that have to sit with a smile on their face and be supportive while listening to people go on about someone their husband or boyfriend was intimate with? Really think about it? Would you like it? Would you feel valued and respected? The late wife didn’t have pictures up of her husband (boyfriend,etc)’s former girlfriends and this new woman deserves that same level of respect. If it is not appropriate in a divorced situation then it is not appropriate in a deceased spouse situation. Family photos are appropriate but couple and other intimate photos are not. If there are children still living at home they can have photos up of their mother in their rooms.

    7
    • Ashy  November 28, 2018 at 12:33 pm Reply

      First of all, how can you compare a divorce with losing a loved one? In the situation of a divorce you choose not to be with someone anymore because you don’t see them as your lover anymore. When you lose someone you don’t make any choices nor do you just stop loving them. Also, I don’t understand why someone is being disrespectful when they express their feelings about their dead loved one, their relationship with that person is a part of them after all. And when you are attracted to someone don’t you want to know more about them and their lives? If they talk about their intimate moments together, that’s a different situation. But overall, I don’t understand how they are being disrespectful simply because they want to keep the pictures of their late partner in their home and express their emotions about it.

      • Anthony  January 1, 2019 at 2:43 pm

        Ashy, as I read the original post, your comment and the others here, it seems to me that few are willing to see the hurts and assurances both widowers and divorcees need and accept them both as legitimate. In any case, there was no suggestion in the opener that the lady chose her divorce, so that attack seems harsh. Maybe you found her questions “harsh” and responded in kind(?). In truth, it is far too easy for us to take sides with the grief we are most familiar with. After only 2½ years following a 38 year marriage, he really probably hasn’t had enough time to fully grieve his loss and be ready to date–although he may experience plenty of loneliness and think that he is ready and that his grown children will accept whoever he finds. I think he has probably failed to fully appreciate their needs in this, and since he is the only parent they have still living, he needs to be very keen to give them appropriate time. As others have mentioned, “Worried” will have to find a way to help build a relationship with them and support them, but it probably got off to a very rough start with these first meetings. Also, pictures are symbols and what a symbol means varies greatly from person to person. Like other divorcees, “Worried” was probably encouraged to put reminders of the painful past aside in order to move forward, and now sees an obvious disparity with the counsel and staunch encouragement widowers are given to always keep the memories alive and out in the open. I would almost say those dealing with divorce and those dealing with the death of a spouse may be very incompatible, but in any case there are great hurdles they either cross together or that otherwise impede their progress in picking up the pieces and building a new life together–one that has both meaningful continuity with the past as well as giving significance to the new people in their lives. Just keeping ALL the pictures out is not speaking volumes to her that he is ready to make her his number one and make room for what lies ahead together, nor did she make any reference that she keeps pictures out to greet him when he visits her house. “Worried” is right to ask questions about this and doesn’t need to be the one to demand the changes, per se, in the beginning phases, she may need to gracefully tell him they need to step back until they’re both ready to forge a new future together and thus put the ball in his court to either decide to keep his tight grip on the past or to relinquish his grip a little. I do not think she is “insecure” in the slightest, per se, to see the legitimate challenges here; her boyfriend will either demonstrate he is ready or that he is not (and if “Worried” is insecure, it would probably come out in other areas, anyway). Nevertheless, the widower here needs no attacks hurled his way whichever category he is in, but they will have to be able to work it out–relationships are full of communication and compromises. If they one day continue toward marriage, they will probably need to find some neutral territory to call home where they can both put out select pictures that honor the past without constantly bringing up former marriages that are now ended, whether by death or divorce. The important thing is that both of them continue to communicate and work together through whatever challenges and hurts they have as they build together.

        7
    • Sonya  December 19, 2018 at 9:45 am Reply

      I believe life is for the living and the present is all we have, but there should be a healthy balance and mutual respect. It is indeed important to honor the late wife’s memory. She will always be in your heart, and that is a good thing. Bringing flowers to the cemetery on the anniversary is OK, but talking constantly about her is not OK. Family pictures with the late wife on display are OK, but couple pictures should be in a box (you can pull them out and see them whenever you want), and intimate/erotic pictures should be disposed of. It is very simple. If you are truly ready and willing to love again, give the respect and consideration to the new girlfriend or wife that you would have wanted her to give to you, had you been the one in her shoes. If you can’t, it is OK, but you have no business then dating in search of a “serious” relationship. Because you are anything but serious about it if you can’t completely open the door to your heart for the beauty of love to come to your life again. And to the women that are involved with men that got stuck in the past and have chosen to live for and with the dead, I wrote this poem to you.
      “Let them go free, like a lonely kite, with their sorrows and memories
      the wind being their only companion, let them go
      up up they go, looking up in pain and desperation
      while they look down at them from the sky with a smile and a wink”

      3
    • Eva  January 18, 2019 at 6:11 pm Reply

      That’s such bullshit are you a widow? If not you have no ideal what you are talking about. It has nothing to do with disrespect or a divorce a divorce is a definitely different situation then being deceased check yourself before you wreck yourself how can somebody be jealous of a dead person give me a break

  43. anna  October 26, 2018 at 12:52 pm Reply

    I moved in with my widowed boyfriend and his kids ages 14 and 12 both girls. we met just 2 weeks after she suddenly passed but they were in a divoce. we dated two years. he has been saying he and his girls didnt grieve properly. currently they are in a dark place cutting. we moved in together two months ago. they are not improving and all of them have heavy moods. he spends time with them alone but he syas he needs me out of the housse that we moved in together too soon even tho it was two years. what should i do? is this normal? does he and the girls need me to move ? i dont understand the difference.please help.

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  45. David  July 31, 2018 at 5:58 am Reply

    Hi Griefusion,

    My wife of 25 years died 3 1/2 yrs ago. I have a new partner now, but she hasn’t met nor am I expecting her to meet my (ex-?)wife’s side of the family .

    I still send them birthday cards, Christmas cards etc. and at first just signed from my children and I. The children are grown up and have left the home. Should I continue to send just from my children and I, just from me as they are no longer in the home, or from my new partner and I (this would seem strange as they haven’t met – but is it strange that I am not acknowledging to them that I have moved on from their sister/daughter etc. – they are aware of her existence).
    Thanks for any advice!

    1
    • Nessa  June 16, 2021 at 2:14 pm Reply

      You should def. Include your partner. Have respect and show others you have respect for her. Be sure of your relationship or it will falter, you never know how she really feels about this exclusion. You could ask….!! And say you’re going to include from now on.

      3
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  47. Julie  May 18, 2018 at 2:53 pm Reply

    I’m 20 years old and I’m a recovering addict. On November 14 2017 I woke up and found my partner of 2 1/2 dead on my lap, he had overdosed on heroin while I was asleep. Really bad at you one of my emotions I hold on to the past and try to avoid negative emotions. I think with the circumstances I’m doing actually quite well my question is I have a few things here and there that belonged to Dusty and I how do I know if it’s too much? My opinion I don’t think it is because they’re just little reminders of him because Dusty will always be a part of my life. Nothing like a big ass thing 30,000 pictures, it’s a few little objects when I see them I can smile and remember him I have one small little picture in a frame.

  48. Julie  May 18, 2018 at 2:53 pm Reply

    I’m 20 years old and I’m a recovering addict. On November 14 2017 I woke up and found my partner of 2 1/2 dead on my lap, he had overdosed on heroin while I was asleep. Really bad at you one of my emotions I hold on to the past and try to avoid negative emotions. I think with the circumstances I’m doing actually quite well my question is I have a few things here and there that belonged to Dusty and I how do I know if it’s too much? My opinion I don’t think it is because they’re just little reminders of him because Dusty will always be a part of my life. Nothing like a big ass thing 30,000 pictures, it’s a few little objects when I see them I can smile and remember him I have one small little picture in a frame.

  49. Ava  April 19, 2018 at 6:14 am Reply

    I was set on a date with a young widower and after a few weeks I went to his house for dinner. The picture of his late wife was there to welcome me! Befriended him on Facebook and there were hundreds of pictures of her. I liked him as a person and kept in touch for a while but I told him I wasn’t the right person to be in a relationship with him. I never said the real reason because I don’t think you can push someone to take down his late wife’s pictures, but he didn’t come across as someone who is ready to date, and specially not with me. This kind of behavior seems to attract codependent women who will try to fix the guy…

    Nice guy, but no thanks!

    5
  50. Ava  April 19, 2018 at 6:14 am Reply

    I was set on a date with a young widower and after a few weeks I went to his house for dinner. The picture of his late wife was there to welcome me! Befriended him on Facebook and there were hundreds of pictures of her. I liked him as a person and kept in touch for a while but I told him I wasn’t the right person to be in a relationship with him. I never said the real reason because I don’t think you can push someone to take down his late wife’s pictures, but he didn’t come across as someone who is ready to date, and specially not with me. This kind of behavior seems to attract codependent women who will try to fix the guy…

    Nice guy, but no thanks!

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  51. Veronica  January 15, 2018 at 11:50 am Reply

    Husband says : if my wife dies in the next two years I’ll just find someone else and have another baby! (Husband hasn’t seen his kids in four years ,ex is keeping kids away from him and new wife has four kids so 8kids all together)so is he just waiting for me to die in the next two years so he can go have another kid? I was shocked when I heard him say this I was sitting right there when he said this to his friend!

  52. Veronica  January 15, 2018 at 11:50 am Reply

    Husband says : if my wife dies in the next two years I’ll just find someone else and have another baby! (Husband hasn’t seen his kids in four years ,ex is keeping kids away from him and new wife has four kids so 8kids all together)so is he just waiting for me to die in the next two years so he can go have another kid? I was shocked when I heard him say this I was sitting right there when he said this to his friend!

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  54. Casonia Shortridge  June 13, 2017 at 3:06 pm Reply

    I think this is great to have this forum… I have been dating a widow for 18 months. His wife died over 4 years ago, to make matters worse she had two children from a previous relationship and died after her 4th child was 8 months old. She was addicted to prescription meds. With all that being said, she left my bf now a widow, single parent and struggling financially. We dated while living in two different cities, after 8 months of dating he asked me to move in and I accepted. After being divorced for many years I was ready to on such a level where I thought this was the man I would spend the second part of my life with. When I moved in, I was expected to attend the same church him and his wife were members of. When the grandmother (d-wife) mother would call not often, he would drop everything and go have dinner with the grandmother and kids. I helped provided and supported his children in many ways, baseball, football, and basket ball games. Pick up the 4 yr old from school, whatever was needed. His 12 yr old son had a hard time with this and displayed a daily dose of disrespect. I tried to be understanding, empathetic and compassionate towards everyone especially the kids. My bf and I recently went on our very first trip and while on our trip his phone alarm went off, it was a reminder in his cell phone of his d-wife’s departure date. Really?!? He still receives mail at the house as if she pays a bill. He holds onto her wedding bands. There were no boundaries, no consequences and no room for me. I felt like I was living in the shadows of a dead woman. It angers me that this woman left 4 kids behind due to an addiction and I can do all of these things, be the caregiver, provider, maid, suzy home maker yet I am nothing. After 18 months I ended the relationship. It is very hard dating a widow especially when there are children involved. Yet you can choose how you want to spend your life, you can either continue living in the past which no longer exists or you can choose to live again. Depending on what you choose there are life modifications, If you choose to stay in a grieving period, you will be alone. If you choose to live you will need to set boundaries with respect. I don’t agree with an earlier statement that dismisses the new relationship, If you re-marry you are now ONE and d-wife or widow should not rob their partners of that. Of course the d- wife or husband is never forgotten and the kids serve as a constant reminder. I would never date another widow again.

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  55. Jackie  June 10, 2017 at 2:50 am Reply

    My boyfriend still refers to his late wife as his wife. This makes me feel like he still considers himself married. I find it incredibly hurtful.

    I have been widowed for around 10 years, my bf just over 2. We have been together for 2 years but friends for over 30( complicated situation).

    I can cope with the photos around the house…. I have no choice really if I want to be with him and we have got through various other issues that have raised their heads with communication. For some reason, I shy away from raising this.

    I don’t think this is jealousy over marriage. At this particular time, I don’t really think about us getting married or not……..but I don’t refer to my late husband as my husband…….because he isn’t, he is my late husband or I say he was my husband. I feel completely crazy over this. I am his girlfriend & she is his wife…..not was, IS.

    I know my bf very well obviously & he would say if’s just habit, just a word but to me it signifies that he still considers himself married……which he has said independently he doesn’t.

    Very confusing.

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  56. Karen weed  January 27, 2017 at 8:56 pm Reply

    Wow. Don’t know when these posts were written, but funny how life is. I am in the same situation. I am widowed 10 years after 36 years of marriage. He is widowed 1 1/2 years after 38 years of marriage. Difference in my story is that I am a nurse and know of grief process and have embraced his wife. We talk about our spouses and call them by name. My problem is adult children who don’t want him dating and don’t want to meet me. It has been a year and I am scared things will not change. I am 65, not getting younger and do have health issues. Afraid of my timeframe. His children’s behavior prevents him from moving forward. His attitude is life will work itself out. This is really tougher than I ever would have imagined. All I wanted was to be loved, have a partner, travel, and live out the rest ofy days. This has been very stressful. Hurting.

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  57. Bonnie  January 4, 2017 at 12:27 pm Reply

    I am a widow of a little over 4 1/2 years after 32 years of marriage dating a widower of a little over 5 years after a little less than 5 years of marriage – his late wife passed 9 months prior to when my late husband passed. His marriage with his late wife was his second marriage with his first marriage of 15 years ending in divorce. There are 2 adult daughters from that first marriage who had a very loving relationship with his late wife and with whom I have an excellent relationship. Additionally I adore his 2 grandchildren, and have been openly welcomed by his extended family. We began dating a little over 3 1/2 years ago – a year after my late husband passed and a little less than 2 years after his late wife passed. My late husband passed in a motorcycle accident while his late wife passed after a year’s illness from a hereditary pulmonary disease. She was on a transplant list but complications ensued and she passed prior to lungs being available for her. His expectation was “never” that she’d pass, rather that she’d have a successful transplant. Therefore, for him her passing was just a sudden and shocking to him as my late husband’s accidental death. The reason I’m writing is: 1) I have 2 adult children who he’s simply casually met. I also have elderly parents, siblings, etc. who he will not meet. I have asked and invited him to meet them many times and always receive polite declines despite my expressing to him that him meeting my family is important to me. He has also met none of my friends. He has a sister in law and father in law from his late wife who he remains very close to, typically spending holidays with them; 2) his bedroom has been frozen in time with his late wife’s possessions left exactly where they were when she died a little over 5 years ago – nightshirt still on the bedpost, shoes still at the foot of the bed, clothes hanging on the bedroom door, etc., etc., etc. along with a multitude of pictures staring right at us while in bed; 3) He continues to wear his wedding ring, also wearing his late wife’s wedding ring on his little finger right next to his. Many aspects of our relationship have naturally evolved and “come a long way”, but the 3 items listed persist. Attempts to discuss these do not net concrete answers, rather evoke him shutting down. He’s retired military and an engineer so is a very black and white person so I find it difficult to reconcile our continued relationship and potential future with all of the above. As I started, I am a widow which has given me the compassion and insight that has allowed this relationship to last the little over 3 1/2 years that it has. However, there also is all of the above after 3 1/2 years………

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  58. Hanh  January 3, 2017 at 3:05 pm Reply

    He put his parent’s photo in our bedroom , his brothers sisters ‘ photos in front of my computer , none of our photos were taken together with kids in our house , I don’t like the couch which is bought by his mum but off course he paid all the money , only reason his mum picked it . I don’t agree with him about photos matters . But he seems not feel that … There are too much to share about my marriage here .. Not only photos . Maybe I picked the wrong guy !!

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  60. Dawney  November 7, 2016 at 4:02 am Reply

    I moved in with my boyfriend and his 3 children 4 months ago .he is a widower and his wife has been going 10 years he has a big wedding photo and a few others in his lounge which l have to look at each day .when we first met just over 2 years ago he told me about his wife and took me to places they had been and wanted to show me were they got married he often speaks about her l do get upset when he brings her up all the time which is most weeks and l try not to show how lm feeling inside but its getting me down . We are engaged now and l feel like the other woman sometimes.l do understand how he must of felt when he lost her and having to bring 3 children up l know it must of been so hard.l love him to bits but and l ask myself why he has to keep talking about her to me is this something l will have to live with and will he ever take there wedding photo down he told me he has them up because of the children they are adults in there 20’s l wish l could understand all this .

    • Eleanor  November 7, 2016 at 10:02 am Reply

      Hey Dawn,

      Have you talked with him about this? After ten years I do wonder why he would be bringing her up as much as you say he does. Maybe he has insight into this dynamic?

  61. Ling  October 24, 2016 at 9:02 am Reply

    I’ve been dating a widower for a year and a half, his late wife passed away 4 years ago… he still wears his wedding ring on his left hand, a necklace she gave him, his phone screen saver is a picture of her, and he keeps a picture of them on their wedding day in his work truck.

    When I first moved in there were pictures of her EVERYWHERE, and she loved angels so there were pictures and little angel figurines all over the place. After living there a few months I asked if I could take some of the more intimate pictures down and put away the angels and he was 100% fine with it. He has 3 kids so I carefully put everything away for them (even her prom/wedding dresses for his daughters to wear later in life). He seemed to understand perfectly that I wanted it to feel like my home, too. Now although the ring, screensaver, and wedding picture at his work do bother me, I feel like it’s not up to me to tell him when to put them away for good. There are still a few family pictures up.

    I love him like crazy, and if he passes away first I’ll probably keep our wedding ring on and pictures of him up, too. Just don’t forget that your negative feelings towards his late wife’s belongings are nothing compared to the pain he has to live with.

  62. Ling  October 24, 2016 at 8:57 am Reply

    I’ve been dating a widower for a year and a half, his late wife passed away 4 years ago… he still wears his wedding ring on his left hand, his phone screen saver is a picture of her, and he keeps a picture of them on their wedding day in his work truck.

    When I first moved in there were pictures of her EVERYWHERE, and she loved angels so there were pictures and little angel figurines all over the place. After living there a few months I asked if I could take some of the more intimate pictures down and put away the angels and he was 100% fine with it. He has 3 kids so I carefully put everything away for them (even her prom/wedding dresses for his daughters to wear later in life). He seemed to understand perfectly that I wanted it to feel like my home, too. Now although the ring, screensaver, and wedding picture at his work do bother me, I feel like it’s not up to me to tell him when to put them away for good.

    I love him like crazy, and if he passes away first I’ll probably keep our wedding ring on and pictures of him up, too. Just don’t forget that your negative feelings towards his late wife’s belongings are nothing compared to the pain he has to live with.

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  63. regina  September 21, 2016 at 1:01 am Reply

    Pasted Loved Ones should be able to Remain any where the surviors choose to have them..The Deceased can Not take Your Love Away…I agree, on past Couple Pics should Not be in the Bedroom…And of the mind that If someone is to stay in my Life they will have to Share my heart with my late spouse, accept that they are FAMILY, and apart of Ours ..Should We grow into marriage, and that Our Daughter will share them Both ! ….Loving a Widow or Widower is Not for the Weak or Insecure ..

  64. Don  July 7, 2016 at 4:42 pm Reply

    Lately I’ve been thinking about this very subject. I lost my girlfriend of 32 years (don’t judge, it worked) on 6/10/15. She had a long and heinous struggle and suffered tremendously. Last winter I started having prints made of places we went on vacation to and several of her, and her and I, and have one of us in the kitchen, and have added 4 to the one I had in the living room, along with as I said, shots of places we went to. This was my life with her. I also have had couple in the bedroom for many years. But then I saw the movie Last Vegas, and the Robert DeNiro character plays a widower about a year out, like me, and he has pictures of his late wife all over his apartment. It was then that I started thinking, “Am I going crazy?”. I should also mention that I have no interest in dating or even further, living under the same roof with anyone. Am I going crazy?

    • Dan  August 31, 2016 at 1:36 pm Reply

      You are not going crazy, brother. I lost my wife of 23 years last summer (July 2016) and dating divorced, insecure women (jealous of the deceased, and any memory we have of our wives and us sharing this thing called life) looses its shine fast. The barrage of questions. The pop psychology that these women run on you. They bash their ex, a guy we never met, and we have nothing bad to say about our late wives except that we miss them. They have venom and bitterness. We have memories of real love, valleys, mountains, and boredom. We didn’t quit our wives when things got rough. Their husbands are Satan’s angels. I would rather live my life remembering my best friend and the man she allowed me to become, remaining in the company of friends, than have discussions about erasing her memory to make a divorcee happy. Widows are coolest for guys like us. They understand. We share the same walk between the world of memory and the world of right now. Knowing how the loss feels, as we do, we need to find somebody that respects the loss. I want to know as much about a widow’s love and life as much as I want to share tales of my great love in this life. I think we could create am “us” with a widow that includes people that we simply never can forget. Having your wife die in your arms and dragging your family through the vain hell of divorce over “lack of passion” are two different occasions. I doubt I could ever work with a divorcee. I don’t know how you feel about that. But on an up note, every day is one day closer to the day we both see our wives again.

      1
      • Litsa  September 4, 2016 at 12:25 pm

        Dan, well said! I do think, or hope, there are women other than widows who could be good and understanding partners, but I do think takes an extremely open and understanding and it also takes a lot of really strong communication. My mom (a widow) just recently married another widow and I do think that their ability to understand each others’ losses is a huge strength of their relationship. Best to you both as you navigate the complicated waters of grieving after losing someone you love so deeply.

      • Eli  September 13, 2016 at 8:45 am

        I am a divorced woman. Please don’t think that we don’t grieve over a failed marriage. There are many circumstances why people divorce…..betrayal, abuse, growing apart, etc. I don’t bash my ex and neither did we drag our kids through a divorce. Everytime I look at pictures of past Christmases or birthdays I remember good times that were had, and I have kept photos of my ex husband to be given to my kids when they want them. Grief comes in many forms. No marriage or spouse is ever perfect, but when it ends, either through death or divorce, we can remember the good times and the love that was there, but in order to move on, into another relationship/marriage, we must respect the feelings of the new partner as well. No one wants to compete with a ghost and shouldn’t be made to feel that way. Keep your photos/memories/trinkets etc for sure, perhaps display some in a private room, transfer them to a CD or create a memory box. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Would you want to see loving pictures of your new love/spouse with another man or woman displayed all around the house? If this isn’t the case, then you have no business entering a new relationship/marriage when you are not willing to let go of the past thereby damaging your future and that of your new partner.

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      • Linda  October 17, 2016 at 12:45 pm

        When I first starting dating my partner he had a picture of his deceased partner on his living room wall. A short time after we started dating I noticed the picture was gone. We have been together now for 3 years and have bought a house together. Just recently, when moving totes around at his cabin, I came across photos of her (I will call her P and him D)and cards that were saved from her to him and from him to her, she will have been gone 6 years come this December. His comment was “you put things in a corner and they come back to bite you”, he asked me what if I thought he should give the pictures to her son. I said either him or her mother. I kick myself now for looking at the cards and reading them. Wished I had left well enough alone. On one card he wrote “you have giving me a new zest for life that I haven’t had for quite awhile”…I don’t know why and I wish someone could explain it to me but reading that was like a stab to the heart, made my stomach drop to the floor. P was his first love, she left the area where they lived as teenagers/young adults and went away to work, when she returned to the area D had already married someone else. P married one of his best friends. D’s marriage failed and from what I understand from others is P left her husband to be with D but then went back to her husband, had a child and then left her husband and child to be with D. I can see why she did, he is a very special man. It has really affected me seeing those totes. Not only the totes but also when cleaning up the camping trailer I came across one of her journals. I put it back in the drawer it was in, mentioned it to my partner in passing…but it is still there. I know I can be insecure by times and am not afraid to admit it, that’s me. After coming home from the cabin I happened to notice the pictures were in the vehicle. He kind of hid them in the vehicle. I haven’t asked and don’t feel I have the right to ask what his plans are for these pictures. After seeing the cards I realized that she was his soul mate, his other half. This is a man who loves deeply, to his core. Why do I now feel like I am living in a shadow? Is it wrong/crazy for me to feel like the past hasn’t been put to rest? Am I being oversensitive? He calls me sexy and have always felt very special when he does….but….as per one of these cards “to the sexiest woman I know” I don’t feel so special. I keep telling myself she was his first love and I will be his last love but I can’t shake the feeling that a ghost is present. Any advice?

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      • Eleanor  October 21, 2016 at 2:27 pm

        Linda,

        It’s really hard for us to offer advice, and we typically try not to when it comes to other people’s intimate relationships because they are far more complicated than we could ever understand based on a comment. I will say that we receive questions like these all the time, so you aren’t alone. Often dating a widow means accepting that the memory of a past love/relationship is present on some level. Does the past every truly get “put to rest”? Not always. Although we may move forward with our lives and make space for new people and new experiences, we often remain connected with those who die an different ways. This is especially true if there are children involved as the woman who died will always be their mother and a part of their family, whether she is alive or not. I think it’s important to remember that it can his love for her in the past, doesn’t negate his feelings towards you in the present. And that it is normal to hold onto notes and photos, this does not mean that he is unable to move forward and have perfectly healthy relationships in the here and now.

        Good luck,
        Eleanor

        1
      • Eleanor  October 21, 2016 at 2:42 pm

        I agree that divorce can cause very deep and significant grief, regardless of the circumstances, and that grief comes in many forms. I disagree, though, that having photographs of a deceased spouse around the house indicates you have no business entering into a new relationship. You do not need to “let go” of all elements of the past in order to move forward in the present in healthy ways.

        This is especially true if there are children involved. In these instances it would not be beneficial for the belongings or photographs of the deceased to be secreted away to a private room. The person who died is still a part of the family and should be recognized and honored as such. If a new romantic partner isn’t comfortable with this reality, then perhaps they aren’t well suited to date a widow (under this particular circumstance).

        This may be one main difference between the grief or divorce and the grief of a death. In the instance of divorce, no one has died and connections can be maintained through actual contact with the person, so it’s not necessary to keep things like photos and notes. When the person is dead, photographs, memories, belongings, etc are all that people have left to remember them by.

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  65. Broken-hearted  April 29, 2016 at 9:57 am Reply

    Hi
    My best friend passed away March 2013. She was married to her college sweetheart (they recently had got married after 10ys plus of boyfriend/girlfriend). January 2012 she gave birth to their son this boy was a miracle baby she was told she could not have kids. She dealt with depression on the night of her death she supposedly was on antidepressants and sleep meds. She ended up “sleep walking” onto a freeway and was run over multiple times. So fast forward to today, her “husband” has met a lovely new woman whom he loves they have been working together for years. This woman was/is married. He has told all of us never to show pictures of our best friend or refer to her as mommy near his son so the boy does not become confused. The little child calls the new woman mommy. He has also told us he does not want to see us or even let us visit with our best friends baby so we do not confuse him. Also, he has told the sister of his dead wife the same thing. How do we deal? This little boy is all we have as a memory that connects us to her

  66. Lisa  March 2, 2016 at 2:53 pm Reply

    Hi. I think you are a little hard on this woman insecurities, you do ask yourself these questions at the beginning of a relationship, just wondering, is this normal, and I think the answer to her is yes. Not sure that makes her such a giant shrew. I am dating a man who was married 38 years also. I have no problem with the pictures around, and also no problem if they talk about her. Of course! No one will ever replace one’s mother and that’s a lot of history.
    However, I am younger than he and divorced, have 3 kids of my own and am struggling with the complexity. This statement below sounds a bit contradictory ” You will not be your boyfriends ‘next’ family because he already has one, the most you can hope for is that the next chapter involves a happy merging of his family and yours.” This sounds defensive- don’t even think about you being in MY family he already has one, but then maybe you can merge?
    It never occurred to me that I was giving up having a family. I had thought that with whomever my new relationship to be, that me and this new person were forging be a “family”. I suppose I thought I could have more than that, for the last half of my life, to be someone’s partner and not a footnote to the first . Is that so wrong?

  67. Anna  February 7, 2016 at 2:57 am Reply

    Hi Marianne, I think to have a nice one somewhere for the sake of the kids and their own memories is nice, but to have them peppered all around the house so you can’t walk the house from room to room without seeing the deceased looking at you is a bit creepy. My ex died. I have one , nice one, of him and the kids in the hallway,but no ”couples ” shot, out of respect of my new husband. I definately took the one out of our bedroom because it is now my partners and my ‘intimate” bedroom. And I also have a nice one of my spouse and I in the hallway and on my bedside table, to make him know I have moved on emotionally. He is also widower and has basically done the same. I think he has two in his house. One is a really cute one of his ex and his son.I can respect that. But definately, OUT of the bedroom! He didn’t want me looking at his deceased wife while we were loving each other. So awful ! So keep some, but many is tasteless .

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  68. Mary Smith  December 28, 2015 at 5:26 pm Reply

    I dated a man who still had Christmas cards up from the year his wife died…which was 7 years ago…the calendar was up from the month she passed….nic nac still on the window sill in the kitchen from her…etc etc etc…and he talked continuously about her….needless to say…the relationship ended after a year…there was no room for me

  69. Danielle  November 27, 2015 at 2:13 am Reply

    So there is this wonderful gentleman a widower whose wife passed away two years ago. She has two children who are his children now and he cares for them. So we met a couple months ago he approached me at the grocery store. He was very sweet and I gave him my number. Since that day we have talked every single day and he comes to see me atleast every other day. We became sexually active and I have grown to really like him. He seems very genuine, hard working, a great father, honest and very caring. He likes to surprise me with chocolate and a mtn dew because that’s what I told him was my favorite the first time we spoke. I can tell he likes me and enjoys my companionship in fact he’s told me so. But I can also feel and sense he still loves his wife, which I completely understand and would always understand that and expect. I haven’t lost a spouse myself but losing anyone is heartbreaking. So I expect it to be difficult for him and his children. So I am always there to listen if he wants to talk about her or how he is feeling. And I want him to feel comfortable talking to me about anything. So I’ve started really developing feelings for him. Being as I’ve been single for over a year now I really want to find that special someone. But with sensing he has not moved on from his wifes passing and sensing he has a fear to completely let me in. I felt that before I get too attached to him I should tell him how I feel about him and see where his head is at. So last week I told him that I really like him a lot and why. And let him know that I am hoping to grow into a relationship as that is something I want and am hoping to have again. I proceeded to tell him that I needed to know how he felt about that and if that is something he was also leaning towards with me or how exactly he felt. I told him It was okay to be honest with me that I would be understanding and I would never judge him but that I needed to know were his head was at. He was honest and told me he loves my conversation and companionship, that he does like me a lot and feels very comfortable around me. But that he still loves his wife and doesn’t think he’s ready for a relationship. He told me he was sorry that he should have had this conversation with me sooner. He also said he would like to be friends still if I wanted too. I wasn’t upset I told him I comepletely understood and I do. I understand why the conversation was hard to have and I understand him not being ready to move on or get into a relationship. That I would love to be friends still I love my time with him, but I let him know that I still really like him and if that’s the case we can’t have sex any longer because I wouldn’t be able to handle that emotionally. He was understanding of that. He still comes to see me on a regular basis still brings me sweet treats it us non sexual now. We just sit and hangout and talk a lot about anything, every day things, and about her. But as I spend time with him I can feel us grow closer as two people and I can feel my feelings for him getting stronger. And there is this part of me that kind of hopes that if I am patient and continue to show him he can trust me with his feelings for her and that I would never to push her memory out then maybe down the road he will be ready to date me. But this also scares me because I thought I could detach the feelings I was having for him and just be there for him as a friend especially because we are both very caring people and I can tell he needs that and if I’m not in the picture he won’t have that to help him along. But Idk if this rational for me either I don’t want to set myself up to be hurt by hoping that one he will be ready when I have no way of knowing that for sure. So sometimes I feel before we get any closer I should just stop talking to him but I don’t want to hurt him or take away support he needs. So I just don’t know what the best thing to do is. Continue to be there for him as a friend even though my feelings for him are growing? Or to just let him out of my life completely to protect my own future feelings? And if I stopped talking to him would that be wrong or make things more difficult for him?

  70. Cristy g  October 2, 2015 at 2:50 am Reply

    What should I do. I am dating my boyfriend for the last 11 months. He has been a W for 9 years he said I am the first serious relationship since his Wife died. I spend lots of weekend with him at his house.It does not bother me that he’s got pictures of his LW all over the house but what I don’t understand is their wedding bouquet and vow still hanging in his bedroom. He constantly talk about his LW when we get together with his friends. Sometimes I wonder if he is over the grief. I asked him many times and he said he is done grieving but I don’t think he is. Confused .

    • Litsa  October 2, 2015 at 8:02 am Reply

      Hi Cristy- here is the thing about grief, you don’t actually ever get over it! It gets easier, it gets different, and it definitely comes up less often. But when you lose someone who is so important to you, that is with you forever. That is not a problem or unhealthy, it is just a reality of how grief works. Unfortunately there are many myths and misconceptions out there about grief, including the idea that we reach some sort of closure and our grief ends.

      One of the healthy ways we know people cope with grief is through something called “continuing bonds”. Part of continuing bonds is sharing memories and stories about the person we have lost. Though of course I don’t know your boyfriend or anything about his specific situation, many times when people get together with others who knew their loved one it is an important and meaningful time to share stories and memories so that they can feel they are continuing their bond. Research shows us that this is actually healthy and not unhealthy, but it can sometimes make other people uncomfortable with many years of past and someone is still talking about their loved one.

      Personally, I think it important part of dating a widow is keeping in mind that the person will probably always want to continue bonds in someway with their late husband or wife. It is about coming to terms with the reality that that is not a problem, but rather a product of natural and healthy grief.

      All that said, Lake with anything else in a relationship communication is crucial. If there is anything at all that you’re uncimfortable with, it is good to have a discussion about it. I would just encourage you before doing so to learn about grief and understand why he may be doing things he is doing. Many times the things that make others uncomfortable are actually part of normal grief, but as a society we simply don’t know much or understand much about grief so it can look confusing or off putting.

      The fact that you are researching this and taking the time to think about it shows how much you care about him and I am sure he knows that! Wishing you the best!

  71. Bebe Winslow  July 16, 2015 at 2:56 pm Reply

    I’m married to a widower. He was with her for 27 years, they have a son and daughter. We met 3 years after she died. We’ve been together for 13 years and married for 10. We have two children of our own. Lately, I’ve been feeling that I will never be an equal to her. It stems from a discussion we had and I said I’m not like her, and his response was “You certainly are not.” He didn’t elaborate, but it was clear that he didn’t want me to further compare myself to her. I’ve tried to respect his memory and love for her and know that his love for her is still strong. He refers to her as an Angel and apparently she was. As I deal with my insecurities, I want to talk to him about how his response made me feel. I don’t want to talk about her because I fear that he will immediately be on the defense. However, I think I need to. My question is, is grief ever completely gone?If he’s still grieving for her, I don’t want to add my insecurities to it.

    • Litsa  July 16, 2015 at 10:44 pm Reply

      Bebe, I am so sorry you are feeling insecurities. It says about the kind of person and wife you are that you are trying to understand your husband’s grief to best handle the situation! The short answer to your question is no, grief is never completely gone. When a person has been such an important part of our lives and we lose them their impact on us and that loss stays with us in some way forever. It may (and most likely will) change dramatically with time. It may get easier, it may get different, but it is always still there in some ways. Certain triggers will always come up – a song the person loved, their favorite food, those tough days – birthdays and anniversaries.

      Now, all that being said, this doesn’t mean you and your husband shouldn’t communicate. I can’t possibly know what your husband was thinking when he made the comment he made, but in a general we all know that those we love are totally unique and irreplaceable. When we lose someone there is such a deep fear that we will forget them, and the last thing we want to is to think we have replaced them. This doesn’t mean we don’t learn to love new people just as deeply, but we don’t want to think that new love is taking away from the love for the person we lost, or replacing it. It is important to remember that you can be completely and totally different than his late-wife was, but that has nothing to do with how he feels about you and how much he loves you. We love people for who they are, not for reminding us of someone else. And when it comes to grief, in some cases it can be especially important that we don’t feel we are trying to replace someone we have lost with someone else like them.

      I can’t tell you the best way to handle things with your husband, but I think it is important to remember that communicating emotions is such an important part of any relationship. You will never be his late-wife, and that isn’t a bad thing because he loves you for you, not because you are like her. But if you are feeling bad and are not able to resolve it, keeping emotions bottled inside is not ideal.
      I am sorry there are no clear answers. Again, the fact that you are researching how to handle this is a sign that you are thoughtful and caring. He is lucky to have you 🙂

      1
  72. Marc  June 15, 2015 at 11:35 am Reply

    Eleanor, thank you for the response. It’s hard enough dealing will all this, running a house and care for the needs of everyone else. People want us the survivors to be the anchor for you lost loved ones. The glue that keeps the memories alive. Every place I go people want to speak about Susan and grieve. It is an ever daunting task. A role I’m happy to take on. I just when I encountered this situation it makes you rethink am I crazy.

    Your kind words and knowledge truly put me at ease and at peace. God Bless

    Ps my daughter is being raised catholic as per my wife’s dying wish. She love to see the candle lit for mom everyday. So for my Ex sorry the “shrine” as you called it. It’s staying for both of us and for God as well.

  73. Marc  June 15, 2015 at 1:13 am Reply

    I was faced with the same situation this week. I’m a widow of 3 years. My new girlfriend of 3 months confronted me about the pictures of my wife in my home. And the fact that I haven’t cleaned out the closet yet.

    I told her I would be happy to put the things away and remove some of the pictures. I stated that the reason her things are here still is because of my 9 year old daughter. I feel she needs to have pictures and to be close to her mother. I also said I’m saving her personal items for our daughter.

    I was then told that I’m in need of therapy and I shouldn’t use my daughter as an excuse. I was also told I have a codependent relationship with my daughter and again should seek help. This is due to the fact I asked my daughter where she would like to go to dinner before I asked my friend. I reached out to a therapist and was told your grief is fine. You are normal it’s ok. When I told this to my new friend. I was told repeatedly I’m nuts and need help. That there is no way anyone should say I’m ok. Then I came across this post on my first attempt for information and you seem to confirm what I have been told.

    What causes someone to be so hurtful and so disrespectful? The line used to me was “you have a dead persons stuff in your house, it’s gross” ” all me friends say you are holding on to the past”. Don’t we all need our past to grow?

    What can you even say to someone like that? I was truly heartbroken that someone would discount my grief in such a harsh manner. She never once asked me what it’s like to go through this or what was your wife like. I was told call me when you get your life in order and the things are gone. Which includes a really cool convertible I bought my wife when my daughter was born. I was really hoping to save the car for My daughter.

    I plan to box up the “stuff” this week but I will never pick up the phone to call this person. I just don’t think they are worthy of being part of my family.

    Any thoughts would be so helpful

    1
    • Eleanor  June 15, 2015 at 10:35 am Reply

      Oh my gosh, if you didn’t say you were going to already I was going to tell you to run as fast as you can away from this person. She sounds like wicked step-mother material. Maybe not that extreme, but either way NOT the person you want in your and your daughter’s life. I am so sorry you had this experience. I promise you there are women out there who would admire the way you’ve been handling your grief and your daughter’s grief and who would treat the situation with caring and compassion. I am just so sorry you had to experience this first.

      As far as your wife’s stuff, if you feel like boxing it up and saving it for your daughter makes the most sense then I encourage you to do so. Maybe have a discussion with your daughter about how you want to save her mother’s things in a safe place for her for when she is older. Perhaps she would want to help to go through the things, perhaps not.

      This is just a personal opinion, but if I were in your position I would leave the photographs out. It is important for your daughter to feel a connection with her mother and to know that even though she is not physically present she is still a part of your family. This topic is always so interesting to me because for some reason people treat romantic relationships as the one relationship in which they expect the griever to just erase the deceased from their life. If it was a child who died, a sibling, or even a parent – I can’t imagine people would expect you to put the photos away, but because it’s a romantic relationship people expect you to treat the situation as though the person is just someone you broke up with. Just remember, people are very misguided when it comes to grief and they don’t understand that “moving on” and being ready for the next chapter of life has nothing to do with erasing the past. You should honor and celebrate the past and I know you will find someone who fits comfortably into that next chapter.

  74. Marc  June 15, 2015 at 1:08 am Reply

    I was faced with the same situation this week. I’m a widow of 3 years. My new girlfriend of 3 months confronted me about the pictures of my wife in my home. And the fact that I haven’t cleaned out the closet yet.

    I told her I would be happy to put the things away and remove some of the pictures. I stated that the reason her things are here still is because of my 9 year old daughter. I feel she needs to have pictures and to be close to her mother. I also said I’m saving her personal items for our daughter.

    I was then told that I’m in need of therapy and I shouldn’t use my daughter as an excuse. I was also told I have a codependent relationship with my daughter and again should seek help. This is due to the fact I asked my daughter where she would like to go to dinner before I asked my friend. I reached out to a therapist and was told your grief is fine. You are normal it’s ok. When I told this to my new friend. I was told repeatedly I’m nuts and need help. That there is no way anyone should say I’m ok. Then I came across this post on my first attempt for information and you seem to confirm what I have been told.

    What causes someone to be so hurtful and so disrespectful? The line used to me was “you have a dead persons stuff in your house, it’s gross” ” all me friends say you are holding on to the past”. Don’t we all need our past to grow?

    What can you even say to someone like that? I was truly heartbroken that someone would discount my grief in such a harsh manner. She never once asked me what it’s like to go through this or what was your wife like. I was told call me when you get your life in order and the things are gone. Which includes a really cool convertible I bought my wife when my daughter was born. I was really hoping to save the car for daughter.

    I plan to box up the “stuff” this week but I will never pick up the phone to call this person. I just don’t think they are worthy of being part of my family.

    Any thoughts would be so helpful

  75. Seth  May 19, 2015 at 3:28 pm Reply

    My situation with the pictures is similar its not easy to compair. I however would like to mention that I really hope he sees how unbelievably selfish, shallow and a lot of other things that add up to a breakup this woman seems to be. Anyway I lost my wife of 18 yrs to overdose and because its a very long completed situation that involved us being abused molested and other things that left us damaged confused seeking comfort in anything that helped all of us have abused drugs very young to hide from our emotional distress. All three confused about our sexual orientation they openly bi and were truly in love since childhood they were each others best friend protectors I at about puberty started recalling being molested and thought or drempt about getting touched and I as hard is it is for me to say didn’t hate it which made me think I must be gay unfortunately in the rual area we are from that is about as bad as it gets it made me feel like I should do everyone a favor and die. Things have changed a little here bi girls is fairly common and my girls were openly bi and together. I’m proud of them I have never explored that part of me except with Lydia and heather. Anyway there is enuf to be confused. Lol we lost lyd jan30 12 to accidental overdose we think but who can say for sure.if u lost someone to of u know what I mean. Nothing makes sense and everything is in continual confusion I went thru a stage where I thought I forgot what here voice sounded like and I freaked out and printed a lot of pictures of lyd and I and had them all over the house I didn’t print any of heather which was wrong but at the time I thought she would feel the same because she loved her too well after awhile Heather as kindly as possible said she liked the pics however we should hang some of the three of us and to make up for it I took her out and had a photographer take a bunch of photos of us cause somehow while we were all together for near 16 years it wasn’t public knowledge heather was married and had children that we didn’t want to upset in the end her kids could tell the three of us were closer than we let on. Of course kids these days are far more open sexualy than I wish they were. I love her kids as if they were mine. Hesther and I spiraled further and further out of control spent 3 yrs heroin addicts I found her Feb 3 15 my world is shattered I did more heroin than ever trying to join them without doing it totally on purpose. I just couldn’t flat out kill myself so since I couldn’t fall to sleep forever I decided again i am ment for something i have to do. I have been a good listener and am pretty good at helping others even though i dont care for myself and am so alone,affraid, confused, drsperate for anything to make me feel better or something. I have went to every grief class therapy session or anything that may help but nothing has helped im so so happy to have came accross this site it is the first thing on loosing someone to overdose that sounded good in these last years. I’ll make an attempt to tell this story in better order and with anything that could be confused as knowledge included to hopefully help someone out a little. I’m gonna be 40 this year and most of my life since I became sexually active its safe to say I among the other addictions also am a sex addict so were both girls I always had someone on call for lack of a better term. I felt terrible for ever and eventually Lydia and I confessed every little secret and we were so alike we were okay with it and got even closer. Heather didn’t wanna share us and I didn’t feel comfortable sharing her for the first time I’m alone and the thought of starting a relationship totally exhaust’s me and I honestly don’t picture myself with anyone again.the idea of even a one night stand does not interest me. Honestly I haven’t even masturbated. It is getting concerning once I find the answers I need maybe things will change but for now I’m not looking and even hiding for the most part
    Something that made me feel different today is reading all the stories about parents and spouces who lost to overdose. I really feel for those who are looking for answers why this person did this to you or themselves or both. I am lost confused and desperately seeking clarification but as an addict myself I can say I don’t know why we didn’t stop for anything or anyone not even ourselves
    I have been asked by anyone and everyone who cared and felt wrong by us. We really have no answer except I can tell u short of molesting us you as our enablers and victims are not to blame and that’s one of the things we know for sure. We never wanted to hurt anyone we were just trying to save ourselves from something we couldn’t touch catch understand or overcome. I can at this time only see myself healing by helping others heal then maybe I really hope I can manage this guilt confusion sadness and every emotion u touch on here on this site. I finally don’t feel totally alone.

  76. Samantha  April 29, 2015 at 9:43 pm Reply

    I left a long comment/question in the ‘Grief Makes you crazy’ post. Realizing it may have been better suited here, apologies if I put it in the wrong place, was desperate to get it out! Feel free to move it, etc. as appropriate.

  77. Susan  April 16, 2015 at 6:49 pm Reply

    My husband died suddenly 3 months ago. Is it normal to keep yourself so busy at work and at home that you do not have time to think?

    • Litsa  April 17, 2015 at 4:48 pm Reply

      Hi Susan. I am so sorry about your husband. This reaction can be very common, but it is important to be aware that it can become problematic if it turns into avoidance over the long-term. Avoiding things can be an important coping mechanism, because sometimes thinking about things too much and deeply feeling emotions can make it hard to deal with the practicalities of daily life. But ultimately we have to face our grief eventually, or it can create problems in the long term. We have a post about this that you may want to check out. https://www.whatsyourgrief.com/self-care-and-keeping-busy/.

  78. Charmaine Moodley  November 15, 2014 at 5:33 pm Reply

    The photo of a lost loved one displayed is natural and okey…in the case of moving on to finding another love, respectfully if one chooses to move on and open his heart to allowing a space to be filled with new love, then choices will have to be made. Keep beautiful memories of your lost love in your heart and do not make a new love feel intimidated by your past. Only a strong and affirmative decision to move on requires changes to be made. If not do not selfishly lead another heart along. As for the new love..do not expect or ask for the photo to be removed. If you belong with this person, completely and honestly, the decision to remove the photo will come naturally from your partner and you would know you are in a geniune and progressive relationship..if not do not commit or have any expectations. You do not have to live in another’s shadow..it’s not pain but compassion that you have to feel. You are there to love not to live a painful journey.

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  79. Agil  October 28, 2014 at 8:30 am Reply

    I agree……

  80. Marianne  September 15, 2014 at 5:57 am Reply

    What about the ‘types’ of pictures that are left hanging? My widower boyfriend was happily married for 40 years. I too am a widow, so I do understand the need for pictures and blending them into what we have now. But I am questioning ‘romantic type’ pictures of he and his late wife alone that are still scattered throughout the house. I can see having many family pictures with them and their children, but those of just the two of them alone is what I am dealing with now. We have been together 2 years, and there are still portraits in full view of them alone, and a few other ones of them alone scattered throughout the house as well. Would like your thoughts on this. Thank you

    • Eleanor  September 16, 2014 at 1:11 pm Reply

      Hey Marianne,

      That’s a good question. I’m not 100% sure what the pictures depict and I don’t want to assume – by your description it sounds like photos of them as a couple perhaps embracing? I guess my question would be, what do these photos represent to him and what do they represent to you? There is a difference between holding onto photos because your pining for a love that is gone and holding on to them because they represent a part of the past that the family still remembers with love and affection.

      It’s hard for us to really comment because we don’t know either of you but if your concerned about the ‘why’s’ I think the best thing you can do is be honest and ask (tactfully). As you may know, a lot of people just don’t know what they’re supposed to do after a death and they are worried about following ‘normal protocol’. There may be many reasons why he hasn’t taken them down – perhaps he hasn’t taken any photos down, perhaps he’s worried what his kids will say, perhaps he just never realized they would bother you; you don’t want to assume the worst if it’s not the case.

      Either way, you know your situation better than anyone. What does your gut tell you about the photos? Do they seem harmless or do they seem like a symptom of something bigger? And if they really are no more than old photographs, can you live with them?

      Eleanor

      • Marianne  September 16, 2014 at 9:24 pm

        One picture is a large one of them holding one another close together, and a few of the others are of them kissing. I have mixed emotions about him having them out in full view as we are now a couple. I also have been staying at his house on weekends for the most part, so having them out in full view does trigger emotions within me. He does know how seeing them stirs emotions within me, but he hasn’t removed them yet, and I am not asking him to, as we do not live together and they are in his house. I would like to see him remove them on his own when he feels ready to, but it’s the fact that he knows some of them bother me and he is not doing anything about it. I just feel that out of respect for us as a couple, it would perhaps help us move on in a healthy way if those types of pictures are put somewhere out of view. I do feel the main reason is that he keeps them up for his children & grandchildren, who do visit often. I try to look at it this way. We have a good relationship otherwise, and I do see continued progress with him. Any one else have a similar situation such as this, or any other thoughts to share?

        1
  81. Celeste  September 15, 2013 at 4:49 pm Reply

    Every paragraph of your response to this question is so spot on. I can’t wait for more posts in this series, even if it means you have to answer questions sent to other columns. 🙂

    • Eleanor  September 15, 2013 at 8:40 pm Reply

      Thanks Celeste! I’m glad you think we got it right. And we are certainly not above stealing other columnist’s questions =)

  82. Kiri (The Angel Zoe Kindness Project)  September 5, 2013 at 4:46 am Reply

    I can see why this might make someone feel insecure, but sometimes I think people who have experienced a great relationship are the ones who are equipped to enter another relationship. I believe you can experience grief over a loss while still experiencing joy in a new relationships. It’s all a continuum.

    2
    • Evie Williams  September 5, 2013 at 7:52 pm Reply

      This is beautifully stated, Kiri. I could not agree more…

    • Eleanor  September 6, 2013 at 8:31 am Reply

      I agree, I love what you’ve said here. Thank you for putting it so eloquently.

  83. Jessie Gallo  September 4, 2013 at 1:26 pm Reply

    Dear Greifusion,
    Last month some friends of ours lost their young adult son to suicide. It was very sudden, he had just spoken with his dad the night before and things seemed to be going well. No one saw it coming. All of the typical things you say when someone dies suddenly didn’t seem to apply or seemed hollow. I wanted to send them a card but what do you write? What is your advice for being a support in this very difficult situation.

    • Eleanor  September 8, 2013 at 8:44 pm Reply

      Jessie, I tried to call you the other day =). Thanks for your question.

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