Here's one that really ticks me off: God never gives you more than you can handle.

Someone made the mistake of saying that to me just after my husband died.

Think outside of the box.

Remarried.

There are some people that play such an important role in your life that you will never truly get over their loss, you just get used to burying the feelings for most of the time.

Even if you move on and find another life partner, you can never 'un-love' someone who has been so important to you.

Grief has no timeframe.

He models for Auguste Rodin

Thank you Sharon.

Harry Potter et le prisonnier d'Azkhaban.

I was married for 31 years and lost my husband 2 years ago after a very long illness.

Fate has been good to me, and I'm now in a relationship with a widower who lost his wife 15 years ago.

I never intended dating him when we first met, but we did have 'widowhood' in common. Both of us lost our partners to cancer so have had many similar experiences of the nightmare of the 'Big C'.

We found that we could talk to each other in ways that you can't talk to other people that have not lived through the same experiences. It's not so difficult during the first year, but, all too soon, everyone thinks you should be 'over' it and people just don't want to talk about it any more.

Somewhere in all of this, we developed a very strong bond. We talk openly about our former partners, look through old photos together and chat about times past with no jealousy.

Now, our relationship has moved on, and we're making our own plans for a future together. It's bittersweet that we've both been through so much, but, in an odd way, it was our experiences that brought us together.

We are planning on marrying later this year.

Glad to hear that Liz is ok and my prayers going out to everyone affected in Joplin. Such a terrible tragedy.

No, I definitely wouldn't start a new relationship with someone in stage 4 cancer. But if I was already in the relationship (as I have been) I would be there for them until the end.

Still taken and loving it.

Still taken and loving it.

Yup.

Absolutely 100% taken and still not quite believing it!

I think a lot of it what forms people's perspectives is their personal experiences.

I was very lucky. I was married for 31 years and very happy. In-laws were never a problem and have always looked on me as their daughter. Well, they still do. To me, it was like having an extended family.

But I do realise we were lucky to have what we did, and understand why others are scared to make that kind of commitment again.

I ate yesterday. Do I have to eat again today?

This speaks volumes to me, and is a welcome reminder that my husband's pain is now over.

Thank you.

disappointed

I'm leaving today for Detroit. As a Brit, I don't have any family here in the US, but I do have a lot of Brit friends in the Detroit area who also have no family here.

So, we have a once-a-year pilgrimage to all get together for Thanksgiving. It's always good fun. We've know each other for many years, seen each others children grow up. There will probably be about 50 of us.

It always seems really odd, after living here for so long, to suddenly be in a place surrounded by English accents again!

Reese's miniatures. Sadly, they're just a dim and distant memory.