Today would have been my daughter's

[murielm99]

3. She went to a widow's workshop

in San Diego that was very helpful. Her roommate was the same age. Her roommate's husband had drowned. They were married a short time, too.

There were others, even younger. There was a twenty-seven-year-old whose husband had died of a brain hemorrhage, very suddenly.

There were older widows, but people were grouped by age and circumstance. They were able to say things out loud and understand themselves and each other in ways that were more helpful than solitary mourning.

My daughter met other young widows who were also going through litigation with vengeful and angry ex-wives trying to reopen old wounds and old divorce settlements. She met women who, like her, are no longer allowed to see stepchildren with whom they had developed relationships.

My daughter is doing very well with the litigation. She will probably end up winning her court battles. But she does not need the added stress.