Coming home to an empty house is not easy. There is no one to greet you, and the chair opposite yours at the dinner table is empty. The house seems to echo from the silence and you shed a tear as you remember that you are now alone. So many years together, so many memories you two created together are all you have left. Losing a loved one changes your entire life, especially when the loved one was also your best friend. You feel completely lost and totally uncomfortable making even minor decisions. The bed feels big and you hug the pillows for comfort. But something inside you tells you that you can survive!

Know that it will take time before you can begin to feel a sense of normal again. It will not just disappear. Be patient with yourself as you move through the process of grief. Grief is a lifelong journey and everybody experiences it differently.

Understand that there are stages you will go through and they are not linear. You will experience denial, anger, resentment, sadness, and eventually an acceptance. However, you may not do them in this order and you may, much like a roller coaster ride, go over these stages repeatedly over the course of your life with regard to the same loss

Realize that you have choices. There is a time when you need to cry and there will come a time when you are ready to have a new life. When the tears come less often then you know it is time for your new life to begin.

Ask yourself what it was that you have always wanted to do but something you never had time to do because of family obligations. Now is the time to do it'! Be anything you want to be. Become an artist, a pilot, or a scuba diver. Take a ride in a hot air balloon. Most of all, strive to be happy and fulfilled. Your dreams can become a reality and help fill the void in your life. You will meet new people and realize that life can be satisfying and exciting even if you are alone.

And my dearests….i think it’s the most important….

Be patient because this change may not come quickly or easily.