Behind The Individual Faces of Widowhood

We rejoiced when a friend married the man of her dreams. Joined the festivities celebrating their milestones together. And held her close when she became a widow. Losing a beloved spouse may be a perfectly natural event when two people are growing old together, but it can shake the foundation of a woman’s life. A world of factors will influence the way she faces and moves into the future.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Forwarded this email? [Subscribe here]() for more [Behind The Individual Faces of Widowhood]( [Geri Brin]( Nov 13 ∙ Preview   [READ IN APP](   We rejoiced when a friend married the man of her dreams. Joined the festivities celebrating their milestones together. And held her close when she became a widow. Losing a beloved spouse may be a perfectly natural event when two people are growing old together, but it can shake the foundation of a woman’s life. A world of factors will influence the way she faces and moves into the future.  This is how one woman is doing it!     My long-time pal Mary Ann, at 67 years old, was ready to make big changes in her life. She wanted to call it quits after working four decades in high-pressure jobs at a publishing company. And, she was ready to leave the Brooklyn co-op apartment where she and her husband Jay had lived since 1985, and raised their daughter Elizabeth.   After house hunting out west - where she originally considered relocating - Mary Ann decided to stay on the East Coast. She eventually found a home she loved in Lancaster, PA, close to where her brother lives.  Vascular problems, epilepsy, and a stroke, had been progressively weakening Mary Ann’s husband Jay, eight years older and retired. Although Jay could still care for himself, he often felt too depleted to even go outdoors for a short walk. Jay Was Easy on the Eyes Once greatly athletic, Jay loved being outdoors. Being confined indoors in their Brooklyn apartment was robbing him of fresh air, to say nothing of contact with the outside world.   What’s more, traveling with Jay to doctor appointments - or anywhere - was more and more enervating for both of them.  The charming 75-year-old house in Lancaster had a lovely big bedroom and bathroom, with an adjoining office, on the main level. It was perfect for Jay. It would give him access to a deck and big backyard without having to negotiate steps. Mary Ann would have plenty of space for her weaving loom in the spacious second bedroom on the upper level. And, Elizabeth, who lives in California, could have that room when she visited.  The house was in move-in condition.  But Jay’s health worsened, and he had to be hospitalized. Sadly, he died before seeing the house…... Keep reading with a 7-day free trial Subscribe to Geri’s Substack to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. [Start trial]( A subscription gets you: Subscriber-only posts and full archive Post comments and join the community   [Like]( [Comment]( [Restack](   © 2023 Geri Brin 245 Lexington Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11216 [Unsubscribe]() [Get the app]( writing]()