Abel Keogh

10 Dating Tips for Widows and Widowers

By Abel Keogh — Dating again after the death of a spouse can be an awkward experience. It can bring out feelings of guilt and betrayal for the person dating again. It can also bring out feelings of confusion and concern from friends, family, and those who were close to the deceased spouse. If you’ve lost a spouse and are looking to date again, here are 10 tips to make sure you’re able to successfully navigate the dating waters. 1. When you decide to date again is up to you There’s no specific time period that one should wait before […]

Should I Dump the Widower I’m Dating?

Julie asks: I recently began dating a widower who told me his wife died a year ago. I’ve just learned she actually died 4 months ago. I like this man very much and we enjoy each other’s company. I don’t know details of how long she was ill, but he did say some of his kids (adults now) don’t approve of his dating. Should I stop dating this recent widower for not telling the truth or simply because it’s too soon, or both? Abel Keogh, author of Room for Two, responds: To paraphrase an old saying: If you see one […]

How Vice President Joe Biden Dealt With Grief

On November 7, 1972 a relatively unknown lawyer named Joe Biden pulled off a big political upset. By just over 3,000 votes he defeated two-term incumbent U.S. Senator J. Caleb Boggs and, at age 30, became the sixth youngest Senator in U.S. history. Despite the amazing victory, he almost never took the oath of office. On December 18, 1972 while Biden was in Washington D.C. looking at his new office, his wife, Neilia, took their three children shopping for a Christmas tree. They were involved in a fatal automobile accident. Neilia and his infant daughter, Naomi, were killed. His two […]

Poem: My Life: Seven Years Later

November tenth is a day that creeps up on me now.

It wasn’t always this way.

In past years it was a day heavy with memories, emotions, and unanswered questions.

Now it’s a day just like any other.

This year it wasn’t until after lunch that I looked at the calendar in my office …

My Life, Seven Years After Her Suicide

By Abel Keogh —

Football Movie Handles Grief With Sensitivity

By Abel Keogh — It’s hard to find a movie that effectively deals with the subject of grief. Occasionally however, there’s one that really deals with the subject in a realistic way. The most recent movie that does an excellent job dealing with the subject is We Are Marshall. We Are Marshall is about the tragic plane crash that killed the players and coaches of Marshall University in 1970. Though it’s hyped as a sports movie and the difficult task of rebuilding a college football team from scratch, We Are Marshall is really a movie about dealing with death and […]

Widow’s Friends Resist Her Moving On

Ann from Michigan writes: My husband of 23 years and my dad died within a week of each other. It was awful. We had a large circle of close friends who were great to me, but when I met another man, they were not happy and were always looking for faults with him and trying to tell me not to be with him. They don’t understand that I am just trying to move forward with life. I will always love my husband, but I know I must move on. I can’t go back to the way it was before March […]

Transplant Waiting List Nears 100,000

Reg Green and his family made headlines worldwide in 1994 by donating their 7-year-old son’s organs after the boy was shot in a botched robbery. Now, Reg reports, the number of Americans waiting for organs is nearing 100,000. What can you do to help?

When Does Touch Become Critical?

Writer and widow Elaine Williams examines the yearning for touch following the loss of a spouse due to death, divorce or physical separation. She’s trying to be patient, she writes, but some days are hard.

Dealing With the Suicide of a Spouse

Larry from Virginia asks: I am angry at my wife and angry at God.   My wife shot herself after receiving the news that she had been fired for a drinking problem.  How do I deal with the fact that my pastor says, “God does not give more than we can endure?” Some days I feel like jumping off a bridge but I have two boys to raise.   Any advice? Abel Keogh, author of the memoir, Room for Two (Cedar Fort, 2007), responds:  I’m so sorry to hear about your wife’s suicide. My heart and prayers go out to […]