A distinguished panel of widows recently convened to vent about every-day things that now cause incessant eye-rolling:

1. Wedding Dress Commercials

No offense to David’s Bridal but their commercials no longer take us to a happy place. We now look at the couple, filled with happiness and joy as they prepare to exchange vows, and wonder if they know cancer, suicide, an overdose, and even malaria is lurking behind the wedding cake waiting to shatter their happily ever after.

2. Erectile Dysfunction Ads

Yes, we get sex is an important part of a marriage. We know that couples enjoy a healthy sex life well into their golden years. But, those Cialis and Viagra commercials remind us that that won’t be us. As one widow pointed out, “We were supposed to be that horny older couple”.

3. Contact Forms

In case of emergency, please call… That hits home for many widows because when we lost our spouse, we lost our emergency contact. It sucks having to now write in a best friend or aging parents.

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4. Marriage Memes

You’ve seen them. “My first marriage will be my only marriage”. Many of us were naive too. We thought we’d live to the ripe old age of 99 and die within hours of each other. But death had other plans. We do hope you’re fortunate enough to have a first marriage be the only marriage though because being widowed sucks!

5. Ad Agencies

Hey advertising agencies! While we have nothing against your use of traditional family photos to sell your clients’ products, we want you to keep in mind that families come in all shapes and sizes. Graduation photos for example, can include an only parent with her child. Vacation advertisements don’t always have to be a happy family of four. We’d like to be represented too!

6. Bickering Spouses

We know firsthand that in the grand scheme of life, the argument you’re having with your husband isn’t worth it. So what if he didn’t take out the trash for the second time this week? Who cares if he left the toilet seat up? A widow recalls hearing a wife say she wished her husband was dead. “I put my coffee down, walked right up to her and I said, ‘No, you don’t!’ then walked out.” Take it from us, don’t sweat the small stuff. Appreciate each other before one of you becomes a memory.

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7. Daddy-Daughter Dances

We aren’t anti-daddy, not by a long shot. We only hope that schools across the country will be more sensitive to the diverse make-up of today’s families. From LGBTQ families to those in the widowed community, there may not be a male in the household. Why continue to cause us unnecessary anxiety? And to the schools providing strangers to serve as “escorts” for those children whose father is unable to attend for whatever reason…just no! That is beyond CREEPY! Why can’t the dance just be a dance?

8. Fake Widows

Awww. Poor wife. She’s posted on social media about her newfound “widow” status now that her husband is gone…until Sunday night. We don’t want to be too harsh as some of us have claimed to be hunting/football/sports widows prior to actually becoming widowed but trust us, it’s NOT the same. Your fake widow posts are annoying. Stop it!

Join our Petty-Party. What things do you find annoying post-loss?

Mom to a feisty preschooler, Kerry Phillips became widowed at age 32. She runs an online support group for young widows and widowers venturing back into the world of dating and is a blogger for The Huffington Post.

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