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Widow's Walk

Life can change in an instant. What now?

Identity
The Death of a Couple

Sophia Dembling on November 5, 2024

A Personal Perspective: When two people unite in love, they form an entity—the couple—with a unique identity of its own. When one member dies, the couple dies with the person.

A Personal Perspective: When two people unite in love, they form an entity—the couple—with a unique identity of its own. When one member dies, the couple dies with the person.

Grief
How Grief Can Be Like Childbirth

Sophia Dembling on September 21, 2024

A Personal Perspective: Once the worst pain of grief passes, it can be hard to remember what it felt like.

A Personal Perspective: Once the worst pain of grief passes, it can be hard to remember what it felt like.

Grief
The Pain of Loss Becomes Part of Life

Sophia Dembling on August 8, 2024

Personal Perspective: Some things don't get much easier, so the best we can do is just accept that they are hard.

Personal Perspective: Some things don't get much easier, so the best we can do is just accept that they are hard.

Grief
A Personal Spin on the Stages of Grief

Sophia Dembling on April 22, 2024

Personal Perspective: My personal stages of grief are a little different from Kubler-Ross's, and I suspect there will be more than five when all's said and done.

Personal Perspective: My personal stages of grief are a little different from Kubler-Ross's, and I suspect there will be more than five when all's said and done.

Grief
When Healing Both Helps and Hurts

Sophia Dembling on March 12, 2024

A Personal Perspective: Eventually, in grief, we have to start letting go of the past and embracing change for the future. It's part of healing, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

A Personal Perspective: Eventually, in grief, we have to start letting go of the past and embracing change for the future. It's part of healing, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

Personal Perspectives
Why It's So Hard to Part With a Lost Loved One's Things

Sophia Dembling on January 19, 2024

Personal Perspective: The things loved ones leave behind when they die can be emotionally charged and hard to part with, but eventually, they may feel more sad than soothing.

Personal Perspective: The things loved ones leave behind when they die can be emotionally charged and hard to part with, but eventually, they may feel more sad than soothing.

Grief
When Loss Changes the Holidays

Sophia Dembling on November 29, 2023

A Personal Perspective: To survive the holidays, while grieving my spouse, I needed to invent traditions for myself.

A Personal Perspective: To survive the holidays, while grieving my spouse, I needed to invent traditions for myself.

What will the next chapter of life be about?
Grief
Questions That Arise as Grief Matures

Sophia Dembling on November 21, 2023

A Personal Perspective: As grief matures, the questions in widowhood grow more complex as we must (reluctantly) write the next chapter in our lives.

A Personal Perspective: As grief matures, the questions in widowhood grow more complex as we must (reluctantly) write the next chapter in our lives.

Grief
The Dual-Process Model of Grief

Sophia Dembling on October 23, 2023

A Personal Perspective: As we grieve, sometimes we look backward, sometimes forward. This is the dual-process model of grief, and it's both hopeful and stressful.

A Personal Perspective: As we grieve, sometimes we look backward, sometimes forward. This is the dual-process model of grief, and it's both hopeful and stressful.

Grief
Finding Hope in Grief

Sophia Dembling on August 30, 2023

What can we hope for as we grieve? At first, just withstanding the pain. Eventually we can start focusing on the future.

What can we hope for as we grieve? At first, just withstanding the pain. Eventually we can start focusing on the future.

Grief
The Long, Tedious Slog of Grief

Sophia Dembling on August 15, 2023

A Personal Perspective: Grief can hang on for a long time, wearing out its welcome. We have no choice but to slog along with it on our road to healing.

A Personal Perspective: Grief can hang on for a long time, wearing out its welcome. We have no choice but to slog along with it on our road to healing.

Relationships
How Widows Are at Risk for Love Bombing

Sophia Dembling on July 14, 2023

A Personal Perspective: Loneliness and skin hunger make widows especially vulnerable to love bombing; it's easy to ignore red flags in favor of relief from grieving.

A Personal Perspective: Loneliness and skin hunger make widows especially vulnerable to love bombing; it's easy to ignore red flags in favor of relief from grieving.

Grief
As Grief Changes, We Evolve With It

Sophia Dembling on June 23, 2023

A Personal Perspective: As grief evolves, we evolve with it, learning about ourselves as we understand what we have lost.

A Personal Perspective: As grief evolves, we evolve with it, learning about ourselves as we understand what we have lost.

Grief
People Don't Understand Your Grief

Sophia Dembling on May 19, 2023

Even when we're generally OK, grief can hit at any time. It's an invisible wound, which causes many people to have unrealistic expectations. We have the power to educate the world.

Even when we're generally OK, grief can hit at any time. It's an invisible wound, which causes many people to have unrealistic expectations. We have the power to educate the world.

Guilt
Learn to Let Go of Guilt in Grief

Sophia Dembling on May 4, 2023

A Personal Perspective: It's easy to find something to feel guilty about when we are grieving, but that just adds pain to pain. Learn to let it go.

A Personal Perspective: It's easy to find something to feel guilty about when we are grieving, but that just adds pain to pain. Learn to let it go.