Spouse or Partner

Fiction: I Am the Widow

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Modern Loss' first foray into fiction is from a new book of short stories from the trenches of young widowhood.

He’s Dead, But He’s No Saint

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My husband cheated on me again and again — but people give him a pass because he died in a tragic Thanksgiving Day scuba accident.

The End of My Self-Pity Party

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Life with my partner felt like finally being invited to the ball. Since his death, I've spent too long insistent on feeling devalued.

The Pain of the Mundane

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A young widow has some advice for going back to work ... and facing 4 other toughies after losing a spouse.

Close to the Clouds

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My husband's ashes in tow, I summited the mountain we'd loved to bring him 'home'. I found my own solace there, amongst the trees and solid rock.

Not Set in Stone

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It’s been 10 years since my boyfriend died, but his grave bears no headstone with his name on it. He deserves better.

Tears and Tequila in Tinseltown

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A novel imagines a safe haven for young widows and widowers in the City of Angels.

Mourning Option A

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Thirty days after her husband's sudden death, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg shares a transparent portrait of grief -- and her determination to make the best of what's next.

Sharing My Boyfriend’s Songs After His Suicide

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I'm still making sense of things after my boyfriend ended his life. But one thing is clear: The need to share the music he never got to play for the world.

The Half Life of Love

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Our first real date was on Valentine’s Day 10 years ago. Many times in the five years since my partner died, I’ve flashed back to that day when we became, officially, more than just friends.

A Day for Lovers, Without Mine

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On my first Valentine’s Day without Evelyn, I spent hours paging through old photographs. Those pictures speak to our love and her resolve, but they don’t tell the whole story.

Looking Up at El Capitan

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Dying while doing what we love is how we’d all like to go out. But as I watched my friends risk everything for the thrill of the climb, I felt compelled to remind them of the difference between challenge and folly.

Merry — Not So Much

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Our advice columnist weighs in on holiday shopping for the bereaved, what to do when Christmas parties are grief triggers and more.

Death Becomes Us: It’s Time to Reinvent Mourning Attire

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A museum exhibit and a feature film provided a challenge to our columnist — and to the unorthodox focus group she convened: How to modernize grief garb.

The Things We Do for Grief: Marathons, Memoirs & More

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Our Mourning, Noon & Night columnist introduces us to 6 people who channeled their grief to achieve the extraordinary.

Parenting After Loss

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It can be hard to know if my children are reacting to their father's death — or if they're just acting their age.

Saying I Do, and Saying Farewell

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Eleven days after marrying the love of my life, I stared at his lifeless body and said goodbye.

Between Death and Goodbye

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Before my wife's body was taken away — and her final organs harvested — I was able to spend a few precious moments with the woman I loved.

Game-Planning Your Grief: 5 Tips for Returning to Work

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The funeral’s over and you’re expected back in the office. Our Mourning, Noon & Night columnist offers suggestions for avoiding the awkwardness.

Gold Star Widow

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At my first Memorial Day conference for military families, I found kindred spirits among the brokenhearted.

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