​If you have not experienced a significant loss in your life, it may be hard to understand how best to support someone who lost their spouse. There are many ways to offer compassion and support – the biggest and best advice is to simply “show up”. Lean in, be present, and acknowledge and support their grief. Here are some other tips that I found comforting and supportive after my husband passed away.

I was 34 years old when my dad was diagnosed with Stage Four Lung Cancer. I got the call from my mom on a Friday morning while I was at work. It was a call I had been waiting for after he had a biopsy five days earlier. I surely thought a man who never smoked a day in his life could not have lung cancer and, if he did, then it had to be in the early stages. After the call, I did what any good employee would do. I drove to my home 15 minutes away, cried for about an hour in disbelief with my husband, and went back to work. 

​Your spouse or life partner has passed. The worst moment of your life is unfolding around you. You clasp to anything to remember them and keep them close. So, when is the right time to take off your wedding ring? Or do you even have to take it off?

​Resilience is defined by the strength and speed of our response to adversity. It is not about avoiding challenges or difficult situations, but rather about facing them, learning from them, and continuing to move forward. It sure sounds good or like wishful thinking when you are in the depths of grief and mourning doesn’t it?