RELATIONAL HEALTH FOR WIDOWS
A sentiment I regularly hear from widows is how lonely they feel. Like so many other dates and holidays, Valentine’s Day can intensify the loneliness we already feel. What makes this holiday more difficult is that it is specifically about celebrating love. If you watch TV, listen to the radio, go into any store, or check social media, you cannot escape messages of love and romance. Everyone seems to be sharing about their love. Sometimes even other widows who have repartnered will post photos of new relationships, and you may be wishing you could just hold your spouse’s hand one more time or just a hug…a real hug…from someone.
This longing for human touch is referred to as skin hunger. When a baby cries, we instinctively pick them up and cradle them. When a child gets hurt, we instinctively know to pull them onto our lap and assure them they are okay. Young children hold hands, hug, and provide comforting touch to each other without overthinking it. This is …
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