We’ve all heard stories of inseparable older couples where one person passes away shortly after the other. The idea of dying from a broken heart may seem like something straight out of a Hollywood movie. But there’s an official name for this very real occurrence. It’s called the “widowhood effect.”

Since my husband, Bill, died of brain cancer in June, I’ve found myself unclear about what it means to grieve. If I’m driving our kids to school and thinking about Bill, does that count as grieving? Is watching TV to distract myself somehow an expression of grief?

When I see his eyes at night and it’s unbearable, I think, “This is grief; I am grieving.”