If you have married young and had a long and happy marriage it is strange and new to be suddenly living alone. It takes a lot of adjusting to. The hardest part is the loneliness. I think the thing I miss most is just the inconsequential chatter...just passing time together and talking about this and that....even just being together and not talking at all. Our deep and meaningful conversations are memorable and etched on my mind and heart so are still with me and therefore not missed so much. One of our favourite pastimes was to go for a walk beside the river after dinner. We would chat and gossip and just be generally good friends. I miss that greatly. I still make a point of walking by the river. Sometimes it is painful. Sometimes I smile at a happy memory. That is the nature of widowhood, I guess.