But I am alive. I feel, think, smile - and this is already a victory. Because hope did not die with him. It remained in me. In every morning when I get out of bed. In every cup of coffee that I pour myself, looking out the window. In every look with which I meet myself in the mirror. Yes, I am alone, but not devastated.

Being a widow does not mean being broken. It means carrying within yourself the experience of love that cannot be erased by time. It means appreciating, remembering, but not getting stuck.

I am learning to dream again. I am learning to feel like a woman again. I believe that life can still give warmth, support, new hugs. Let them not be like before. Let them be different. But real.

And if you are reading this and going through something similar, know that you are not alone. And you also have the right to happiness. Loss is not a period. It is a comma. After it, you can continue writing. Continue living. Love again.

I am a widow. But I do not lose hope. And you do not lose it.