Grief doesn’t follow rules, timelines, or tidy emotional stages, and Kim Murray knows that deeply. A young widow at forty-four with two children, Kim learned firsthand how confusing, exhausting, and disorienting life becomes when the world keeps moving but yours stops. She opens up about the early days of widowhood, parenting through grief, the pressure to keep traditions alive, the weight of other people’s expectations, and the process of learning to honor both sadness and joy. Kim also shares practical wisdom around boundaries, emotional permission, navigating finances during grief, and the mindset shift that helped her believe she was still allowed to live, love, and build a future. Through honesty, humor, and vulnerability, this conversation reminds widows they are not broken, they are not alone, and there is no “right way” to grieve — only the next step forward.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

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