Wisdom from the Widowed
In 2006, just months after my husband’s sudden passing, I met another young widow who would become one of the most important people in my life. Her name was Maria. Like me, she was trying to find her way through the wreckage, grieving, disoriented, and feeling utterly alone in a world that no longer made sense.
Together, we stumbled through the early days of widowhood, bonded by an unspoken understanding and a shared longing for something, anything, to help us through it.
We used to say we wished there was a guidebook for people like us. So, we wrote one.
Where to Buy
Why We Wrote This Book
Nearly two decades later, with eighteen years of lived experience and the insight we’ve gained as qualified counsellors, Maria and I have created Wisdom from the Widowed, the guide we both desperately needed back then. This isn’t a general book about grief. It is written specifically for those who’ve lost a spouse or partner and are facing the unique heartbreak and complexity that comes with that kind of loss.
Through our work in support groups, counselling sessions, and online communities, we’ve had the privilege of walking alongside hundreds of widows and widowers aged 25 to 55. Their stories, along with our own, are woven throughout this book. It is honest, compassionate, and written from the inside out.
What You’ll Find Inside
Wisdom from the Widowed offers practical guidance for every stage of the grief journey, from those first days when the world stops, through to navigating daily life, and eventually facing the question of whether you can ever feel whole again.
Whether it’s handling the paperwork, parenting alone, finding purpose, or exploring the idea of dating again, this book is here to support you. To remind you that while your world has changed in unimaginable ways, you are not alone.
This isn’t about “moving on.”
It is about moving forward at your own pace, with gentleness, courage, and a deep understanding that while this path wasn’t chosen, it can still lead somewhere meaningful.
My Hope for You
Whether you are in the first raw days of loss or years into your journey, my hope is that these pages offer you what I needed most: genuine understanding, practical tools, and the quiet reassurance that healing is possible.
With love,
Aisling x
About the Authors
As experienced grief counsellors and advocates who have transformed their own profound loss into a mission of healing, Aisling and Maria are available to speak at conferences, workshops, and inspirational events. They share their expertise and powerful message of hope with audiences seeking to understand grief, support the bereaved, or find their own path through loss.