Six Lessons from Six Months Without Eddie

Love Doesn’t End – It Evolves

It’s been half a year since Eddie passed away. Six months of quiet mornings, unexpected tears, and slow rebuilding. I’ve learned more than I expected. Not just about grief, but about love, resilience, and the shape of everyday life when the love of your life is no longer in it. Here are six things I’ve come to understand.

1. Grief Doesn’t Follow a Schedule
   I used to think healing would be linear. That after a few months, the pain would soften and life would resume its rhythm. But grief doesn’t work like that. It loops and lingers. Some days feel almost normal; others knock the wind out of me. I’ve learned to stop judging the timeline and start honoring the process.
2. Small Routines Are Sacred
   In the absence of Eddie’s presence, I’ve found comfort in the rituals we shared—morning coffee, binge-watching the news, the touching way he’d fix my necklace when the clasp worked it’s way to the front. Recreating those routines, even in modified form, has helped me feel connected. They’re not just habits; they’re memory keepers.
3. Legacy Is Built in Quiet Moments
   Eddie left behind kindness, loyalty, and a steady presence. I’ve realized that legacy isn’t about what’s written in stone. It’s about how someone made you feel, and how you carry that forward. I try to live in ways that reflect what he taught me: patience, gentleness, and showing up.
4. People Want to Help—But Don’t Always Know How
   In the early weeks after Eddie passed, the messages came in waves—kind words, thoughtful check-ins, shared memories. Over time, they quieted, as they naturally do. That’s expected, and I’ve come to accept it with a full heart. Life goes on. Everyone has their own responsibilities, their own rhythms. What I’ve learned is this: most people care deeply, even if they don’t always know what to say or how to show it. So I’ve started reaching out to them. Sometimes with a text, sometimes with a call, and sometimes, as a few close friends know, just to cry. I’ve stopped waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect words.
5. Grief Makes You Resourceful
   I’ve become a researcher of my own emotions. I’ve learned to study my emotions with curiosity instead of fear. I’ve built new routines, sought wisdom in books, poured my thoughts into writing, and reached out when I needed support. I’m more deliberate about how I spend my energy, who I trust with my vulnerability, and what truly helps me feel steady.
6. Love Doesn’t End—It Evolves
   This is the biggest lesson. Eddie may be gone, but my love for him hasn’t vanished. It’s changed shape. It shows up in the way I care for others, the way I speak his name, the way I make decisions with his memory in mind. Love doesn’t disappear—it becomes part of who you are.

If you’re walking through grief, know this: you’re not alone. And the lessons you’re gathering, even in the quietest moments, matter more than you think.

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If this resonates with you—if you’re navigating your own version of loss—I’d love to hear how you’re moving forward. What helps you feel strong, even on the hard days? Leave a comment or share your story. We’re not alone in this.

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Read an introduction to the book I’m writing about later-in-life love, communication, blended families, living life to the fullest, health & fitness, loss, grief and navigating a new life. Introduction.

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Need support? Here are resources I found that offer grief and loss support – mentalhealthhotline.org, The Maven Clinic, and grief.com.