Sep 29, 2026 · 18 min · 10 segments
After a huge response from last week's episode, I'm talking about the messages I received from other widows. Including women who told me they'd been feeling guilty about dating again, or had been…
But some of the messages that affected me the most came from other widows.
Because I know how difficult this subject can be.
And there were several people who told me that listening to the episode actually made them feel less guilty about wanting to date again themselves.
And honestly, that broke my heart a little bit.
Because I thought, why are we feeling guilty for wanting to be loved? Why are we feeling guilty for wanting companionship? Why are we feeling guilty for wanting to laugh with someone again? One widow told me that she'd been thinking about dating but had felt like she shouldn't.
Another told me that she'd actually been seeing someone but she hadn't told her family or friends yet.
She'd been keeping this whole part of her life a secret because she was scared about what other people might think.
And she told me that listening to my episode had given her the courage to stop feeling ashamed.
And that one really got me.
Because imagine being in a relationship that makes you happy and feeling like you've got to hide it.
Not because you've done anything wrong, but because you're worried that other people will think that you're grieving incorrectly.
That you're moving on too quickly.
That you didn't love your husband enough.
That you should still be alone.
That somehow finding happiness again means you're betraying the person who died.
And I just want to say this clearly.
Please don't be ashamed.
You haven't done anything wrong.
You're allowed to want love.
You're allowed to want companionship.
You're allowed to have sex.
You're allowed to go on dates.
You're allowed to flirt.
You're allowed to have butterflies.
And you're allowed to fall in love.
But some of the messages that affected me the most came from other widows.
Because I know how difficult this subject can be.
And there were several people who told me that listening to the episode actually made them feel less guilty about wanting to date again themselves.
And honestly, that broke my heart a little bit.
Because I thought, why are we feeling guilty for wanting to be loved? Why are we feeling guilty for wanting companionship? Why are we feeling guilty for wanting to laugh with someone again? One widow told me that she'd been thinking about dating but had felt like she shouldn't.
Another told me that she'd actually been seeing someone but she hadn't told her family or friends yet.
She'd been keeping this whole part of her life a secret because she was scared about what other people might think.
And she told me that listening to my episode had given her the courage to stop feeling ashamed.
And that one really got me.
Because imagine being in a relationship that makes you happy and feeling like you've got to hide it.
Not because you've done anything wrong, but because you're worried that other people will think that you're grieving incorrectly.
That you're moving on too quickly.
That you didn't love your husband enough.
That you should still be alone.
That somehow finding happiness again means you're betraying the person who died.
And I just want to say this clearly.
Please don't be ashamed.
You haven't done anything wrong.
You're allowed to want love.
You're allowed to want companionship.
You're allowed to have sex.
You're allowed to go on dates.
You're allowed to flirt.
You're allowed to have butterflies.
And you're allowed to fall in love.
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