It’s going to be 11 months in just few weeks since Sally passed from cancer. Next month will be the one-year anniversary, which I’m already trying to brace myself for the onslaught of emotion.

Someone told me that one of the toughest times would be after 6 months. She was probably right. Last month, I was all over the place with emotion. I found it to be extremely difficult to focus on anything.

There would be days when I wouldn’t notice the large pit in the my stomach. The feeling that things are finally starting to get a little better would change almost instantly.

I remember going to a restaurant to meet a friend for lunch. In the waiting area, there were chairs that were exactly the same ones we had on our deck. And, those type of chairs are not typical.

I got through the lunch with my friend, but the triggers and the breakdowns came. Worst of all, they can happen anywhere, just about anytime and often without warning. I’ve even fought off the tears while driving and there wasn’t any music playing. I try to read about the experiences of others about this type of situation, and it seems that they are not that uncommon.

Managing these “peaks and valleys” is so tough. And, last month, the roller-coaster ride was the worst. I really thought that as time moved on, the pain would subside, at least a little bit. But it didn’t, and I realized that the agony will not be going away anytime soon and there’s no timetable either.

Prior to Sally’s sickness, I rarely cried. I lost family members before and I did shed a few tears. But, I’ve lost count on the big breakdowns. I don’t even try to fight them, I just go with it.

When I was in Idaho last week, I started to talk to my good friend, Mike, about this blog. He asked to read a few passages and I could see the tears form. My intention was not to make him sad, but to show some kind of progress.

Mike asked me how long it took me to write the last blog. I told him it was about 10-15 minutes. He looked very surprised, but writing about this unwanted journey, for some reason, seems easier than I originally thought when I started.

It’s hard for me to admit, but I’m going to have to continue to manage and navigate these “peaks and valleys.” Despite the huge emotional ups and downs, I’m trying to learn how to live with it.

My step-father told me to simply, “just put one foot in front of the other.” He also says, “live for today, because tomorrow is promised to no one.” He’s definitely right about that one.

 

Tomorrow I fly back to the sanctuary of my childhood and early adult home. I spent my last day in North Idaho going to business meetings and visiting a few more friends. It’s a strange feeling to drive around the place that Sally and I lived in for over 13 years.

Overall, the trip was very good, actually better than I expected. However, I’m still on this roller-coaster of emotion and would still get the occasional pit in my stomach. Many of those memories of us driving to a movie and a restaurant are so vivid. It’s like they happened yesterday.

While I was waiting for a business lunch, one of Sally’s co-workers recognized me and gave her condolences. She worked with Sally for a short time and found out about her passing only two months ago. She expressed how sad she was and how she missed Sally. We all miss Sally, but I’m the one that misses her the most.

While driving around, those two phrases kept going through my head. “You’re a widower,” and “you’re single.” I never thought I would have to say or feel those two statements. After ten months, it’s a slow process trying to get used to this “new normal.”

It’s hard to express how unsettling those two statements are, and that’s putting it mildly. This was never supposed to happen. We both envisioned our lives ending like “The Notebook.” Yes, I saw the movie and liked it.

When trying to deal with this loss, I would scour the Internet looking for others with the similar situation. How many of us are going through, or gone through this process? And, by the way, I have received responses to my blogs and have appreciated the warm words and support.

While surfing around, I found a few statistics that were a bit surprising, at least to me. There was a study that the average age of a widow is 56. I’ll be 55. It’s also estimated that over 50 percent of the population is now single.

Without a doubt, I could easily return back to this area that I lived for over 13 years. It’s beautiful and was great for my career. But, my gut tells me that I can’t, at least for now. I feel that I need to eventually go somewhere that’s different. I’m not the same person I was prior to Sally’s cancer.

It’s almost like wishing so hard to return to once was and, logically, I obviously know it’s not possible. But, emotionally, I still keep wishing.

 

It’s almost hard to believe that over a year ago I lived in a 3,300 square foot home that overlooked a lake. My wife, Sally, loved the home. I literally had to take up many jobs to help pay for the thing, but looking back, it was well worth it.

Once my wife passed away from cancer last May, I immediately put the house up for sale. It was our home, not mine. When Sally left this world, I only spent one additional night in the house. Her co-worker, who became good friends in a short period of time, literally put me up in her and husband’s home until it was time to leave.

I have a lot of admiration and compassion for those two people. They brought in a person who was very sad and did whatever they could to make living conditions as comfortable as possible.

Our home was beautiful, and she was the big reason for that. It was our sanctuary for over 12 years and many memories were made. That was one of the big reasons to sell the place. I just couldn’t bear walking into that house and not see her.

I completely understand that widowed persons will stay in the same house after their loved one has passed. It’s their home. In my case, the memories were too much for me.

So here I am, staying at a relative’s home, because it’s too difficult to be by myself. Still working, but the life I worked so hard to put together, along with my wife, is now gone. I’m trying not to ask for sympathy or pity, but it’s so hard to process on how things can change so quickly.

Looking to the future during this experience is almost impossible. However, I did make the decision to pursue a master’s degree. Where I end up in the long run is anybody’s guess.

It’s interesting that when you’re younger, homes and other possessions seem to be important. I always knew this, but After losing Sally, I realized more than ever that a house is merely four walls. It’s what’s inside that makes it a home.