Widow We Do Now?

This week, Anita and Mel sit down with Michael Reed, who experienced an unimaginable loss when his wife and two daughters died in a fire in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in 2016. His son survived, and Michael was left to navigate a grief no parent should ever have to face. Michael shares his journey through the million stages of grief and the million stages of healing, the inspiration behind his books, The Million Stages of Grief and The Million Stages of Healing, and what it means to keep living whe...

What if you had an owner’s manual for yourself? What would it have said before widowhood, and what would it say now? Mel puts Anita in the hot seat and asks her to imagine her personal owner’s manual — how she operated, what she needed, what people should know about her, and what changed after her husband died. From there, the questions keep coming. Some are thoughtful, some are ridiculous, and some reveal things you probably wouldn’t think to ask until someone actually does. This is a lighth...

Anita and Mel go back to Episode 13, “Meat Me Where I Ham,” recorded when Mel was two years into widowhood and Anita was one year in. Now, Mel is almost nine years into widowhood and Anita is coming up on eight. They listen to that early conversation and reflect on what has changed, what hasn’t, and how their perspectives on widowhood have evolved over the years. They also talk about the concept of the messy middle — that stretch after the immediate aftermath when you’re expected to be moving...

The Widow Complaint Department is officially open. In this episode, Anita and Mel read listener submissions about the things that make widowhood harder, weirder, more annoying, and occasionally downright ridiculous. From clueless comments and unsolicited advice to people who just don’t know what to say to a widow, nothing is too petty, too silly, or too absurd for the complaint department. Got a widow complaint? Send it in. Anita and Mel are taking submissions. Sponsored by: BetterHelp....

Dr. Tina Fornwald knows firsthand how quickly life can change. As a retired US Army officer and breast cancer survivor, her husband Mark died suddenly from a massive heart attack in 2017. After his death, Tina had to figure out how to live again. She found support through therapy, faith, family, and connecting with other widows — eventually becoming someone other widows turned to for guidance and support. Tina talks candidly about widowhood, finding your way after a life-changing loss, ...