Remembering Becky

Abstract

Little is known about the unique experiences of the young widower. This narrative recounts my four-year experience with grief-from its shattering pain to its healing-when I lost my wife to death at age twenty-five. Underlying the story are several aspects of grief unique to young adults. Young adults typically have limited experience with loss. This lack of experience coupled with the cultural recognition of youth as a symbol of vitality makes grief more troublesome and isolating. The sudden loss of a young person helps prolong grief much longer than people expect. I learned you cannot grieve alone; grief is frightening due to its immense range and the intensity of feelings it provokes; and even when healing occurs, there remains a heightened sensitivity to loss.