Periodically, I am seized with the notion of getting a dog. It’s not that I really want a dog so much as I want to get a dog. I enjoy the process of getting--just about anything.

Divorced and Widowed: What's the Difference?

An acquaintance asked the question "Is there a difference between the widowed and divorced." Emphatically yes. The challenges of learning to live on one's own may be similar, even the same, but the similarities end there.

The fundamental difference between the two states is the matter of choice. The widowed have no choice regarding their marital status. Death makes the decision for them. An external force takes away the marriage. The survivor had no choice.