Founders Message – Widowed Friends

Founder’s Message

“There is always a light if we’re brave enough to see it.
There’s always a light if we’re brave enough to be it”.

– Amanda Gorman

Founder’s Message

We need to find our bravery deep inside us to take those difficult steps in rebuilding our lives. With the loss of a spouse or partner, we feel ourselves in darkness and want so badly to find that light of hope.

We need to be so brave for many new challenges we face. Finding new social connections and friendships is no exception.

Friendship, understanding and kindness is a light for widows and widowers.

Members of Widowed Friends show great bravery. The steps you take in deciding to make new friendships, to participate and connect with others who share a common bond is to be brave.

I hope Widowed Friends continues to be a light for widows and widowers everywhere.

Let’s keep moving towards this special light bravely, together.

– Stephanie

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What Our Members Say…

"I think it’s fair to say that Widowed Friends saved my life. My husband died of a particularly aggressive cancer last winter. The shock and tragedy of it shook all the joy out of me. I was so very lonely… Widowed Friends threw me a lifeline when I was drowning."

"Joining Widowed Friends Zoom meetings is like walking into your living room and finding all your friends there! It's been wonderful to have so many Zoom meetings each week to connect with others and feel a part of a larger community. "

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that works so hard in the group for providing this network for people like myself and others."

"I felt alone and isolated due to Covid until I joined Widowed Friends. I quickly made friends and found others with something in common. They get it. I value the time, effort and support from the group. It’s a life saver."

"I can’t come close to expressing my gratitude and love for our Widowed Friends group."

"Widowed Friends has helped ease my new journey into widowed life since we are all of like minds. It has helped make my life more meaningful."

"Being widowed, lonely, then moving to Oakville and only knowing my son and his family, Widowed Friends has been a godsend to me. With this group I met lovely new friends and this group opened up for me a wonderful new life with lots of social activities."

"Since joining Widowed Friends, my loneliness and sadness, as a result of my wife’s death, have decreased. This personal change, is due to the warm interactions, offered to me, from the many widows and widowers I meet, at the socials. Thanks to everyone for your sincere caring."

Thank you All for kind thoughts and support. It brings me comfort knowing there is a supportive group of people who share similar interests and concerns. I'm glad I'm part of this wonderful group!

Living in Nova Scotia I joined Widowed Friends with a sense of trepidation. I joined so that I could say to myself “See I tried. I knew it was stupid to think that other people would or could understand - especially by Zoom”. I was wrong. This is what I found: This group of people are open and supportive. They listen. No explanations of tears, smiles, sadness and joy are ever necessary. Understanding is always there. The uniqueness of my grief was acknowledged yet this group helped me blend it with the commonalities of widow’s grief.

I found the social aspects of the group to be inviting, encouraging while respectful of the days I just needed to hear voices and be a non-active participant. Early on I watched. As time moved on I joined in with a word or an answer here or there . Now I laugh. My friends in Widowed Friends know that grief is never buried or gone and that is ok. It is always recognized and respected. I learned to learn how to laugh amidst the tears and that’s ok too. I heard that you respond to a book once you see yourself in it. If you are grieving the death of a partner or spouse I would ask you to reach out to Widowed Friends. You just may see yourself here.