Why I started a blog?

I have spent the past 11 months searching for information about how to live after your spouse unexpectedly is gone and you have now become a widow.  This was not my plan.  We had a happy marriage.  We had just celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary in New Orleans after bringing our youngest son to college.  We were enjoying each other and ready to make plans for our future.  A week later, my husband was dead and my life changed, forever.  This is a blog about how I dealt with the year and continue to move forward.

I read books and visited therapists.  I talked to sympathetic friends and relatives. But I needed some direction.  What do other people do in this situation?  The first holiday we all attempted to continue our traditional meal but it was sad and I cried for the next 3 days. I decided the best action for me was to runaway and plan ahead for these upcoming triggers to deal with my grief.

I had always loved to travel but marriage, family, work and bills seemed to take up so much of my time and money.  We saved up for the airfare for our 25th wedding anniversary and stayed for 2 weeks at a friend’s water view apartment in Croatia.

In an attempt to heal myself, I started to plan trips.  Therapy through travel was my motto.  The first Christmas I took the 2 boys on a cruise.  For what would have been my 27th wedding anniversary followed a week later by my husband’s one year passing anniversary I ran far, far away.  I went by myself to Thailand and started this blog.  I wrote quickly about the adventures and some feelings that I was dealing with.  It was an amazing trip and it started to help me heal and think about what I was to do in the future.

I think Mike started to get the travel bug after our Croatia trip and I was hopeful that seeing the world would be in our future. So I would like to dedicate this blog to Mike. I will recall memories of our life together and visit some new places.  I will meet new people and continue to have adventures for both of us.  Here are some places he would have loved to see and I hope people he would have loved to meet.

widow-dedicates-blog-to-husband

Kris and Mike arriving in Croatia

 

 

 

 

runawaywidow

At the age of 51 I unexpectedly became a widow. For the first 6 months after my husband died, I was in shock and numb. I journaled and with the help of friends, family and therapists was able to get back to living my old life, even if it is now very different. Before I was married, I had spent a semester in England and backpacked around Europe. My husband and I moved from New York to California for 8 years and started a family. Travelling took a back seat to raising a family and going to work everyday. Since the loss of my husband I have visited a lot of places with family and friends and took a solo trip to Thailand. I am enjoying sharing my stories and adventures as well as some of my insights to how I am traveling the path of being a widow. I hope to share my stories and adventures as well as some thoughts on being a middle aged widow. While I have some great experiences traveling to Thailand and cruising to Central America, some of my adventures involve a trip to see a Broadway show in nearby Manhattan and a shopping trip at Bed, Bath and Beyond. If I can inspire anyone to go out and continue to live a good life that would be my greatest accomplishment.

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18 Responses

  1. Beth Minoff says:

    Your blog is a beautiful tribute to Mike. I’m sure he’s right beside you at each of your adventures. Keep blogging. I’ve never done it but yours was a great read. I really really enjoyed it and you’ve inspired me to travel more! Now I just need the job to pay for it!! Enjoy the rest of your trip. Can’t wait to hear about in person on our next hike!😊

  2. Sheka318 says:

    Thank you for sharing. I look forward to continue readings from you and your adventures.
    I must say, this applies to divorces as well. I find myself traveling more now then before.

  3. Indrani says:

    This is good tribute to Mike. I am sure he would have appreciated you. Take care.
    Stay strong and keep blogging.

  4. Barbara Griswold says:

    Tea
    Really enjoyed your writing ❤️ We’re looking for your brother’s wheelbarrow!

  5. lisa says:

    Thank you for sharing. I enjoy your writing and find it very helpful. I felt compelled to respond because we are bringing my brother who is 51 (and also widowed recently) to Ithaca to camp and hike. Your writing points to all the beautiful healing places. Please continue to live fully and write about it.

    • runawaywidow says:

      Thanks for commenting and reading. Ithaca is such a beautiful place and I hope it brings you all peace. 🙏🏻

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