I sort of like the word widow. I know others who do not like it at all but I find the identification to be comforting. I feel like it tells the world something about me.

I remember when we first learned my husband’s cancer was back and that we’d run out of option. At some point I was doing laundry and became so upset that I just dropped everything and ran into the room where Dave was. I started hugging him and crying and said, “I don’t want you to leave me.” And he said, “I’m not exactly leaving you.”

It’s a comfort to me to know that my husband would be here with me if he could. So, back to the word widow–I know it’s probably rather petty of me but I like to have a word that says “yes, I’m single but not by choice on anyone’s part.”