I received an email from a woman asking me to tell my story. More specifically, she was interested in learning about the road I chose to travel down the first year of my widowhood. It was a live interview, and I want to share it with you. Essentially, it is an intensely personal story about my secret to surviving widowhood.

How the podcast came to be…

An email arrived in my HoneyGood.com inbox that read, “Hi. My name is Helen Mitternight and I saw your Huffington Post blog on widowhood. I am writing to ask if you would be interested in being featured as a guest on my podcast, Keep it Juicy, a live interview-format podcast for people over 50. In a casual interview I talk about what lessons our experts can offer. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am excited to share your story.”

The interview was ad lib; no questions were sent in advance. I remember sitting at my desk in total silence, waiting for her call.

As I sat at my desk, I had mixed emotions. I was feeling apprehensive about doing a podcast; I had only done two in the past. But I put my nervousness on the back burner because I wanted to share the healing process I chose when my husband died suddenly while I was in my forties.

Here, in my voice, is my story of how I faced the first year of my widowhood.

LISTEN THE TO THE PODCAST HERE.

For those of you who are recently widowed, I want you to know that you are not alone. For those of you who were widowed years ago, you will hear in my story, in my voice and in my honest sharing, that I get it. I understand how you feel. The pain subsides with time, but it is always there, just under the surface and, unfortunately, quite easy to access.

There is, however, healing and hope for those seeking it. I found mine by opening up and sharing stories with you, my very dear readers, as well as through living out my emotions, embracing life and even loving again after a most devastating loss.

The secret to surviving widowhood is nuanced and complicated… it is different for each widow. However, I hope my story helps you to know, most importantly, that you will survive and even, someday, find joy again.

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