From Giddy:
On his first date with another woman after losing his wife to suicide, Abel Keogh was overcome with guilt and betrayal.
"I felt like I was cheating on my late wife," he wrote on his website.
It took about five dates for Keogh, an author and a relationship coach in Utah, to shake the guilt and enjoy another woman's company. Within a few months, he met his now-wife, Juliana.
Although every widow or widower's journey is unique, Keogh's experience isn't altogether unusual. Dating is often a whirlwind for everyone, but it's distinctly complex for surviving spouses.
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According to Keogh, fully opening your heart to new love is a challenging, multifaceted process. Along with inner work and intimate communication, forging a new relationship may require significant changes.
"There's a price to pay when it comes to starting a new relationship, and many widows and widowers aren't willing to pay it," he said. "The new love isn't going to plop down and take the place of the late spouse. You need to create a new life with them. A successful, long-term relationship may require redefining relationships with family and friends, taking down photos of the late spouse, selling or redecorating your home, and doing other things that show your new love that they are number one."
