I remember how unlovable I felt when I became a widow. There were many parts of myself that felt broken and that I knew needed so much time and attention in order to heal. I didn’t start dating after my husband’s death because I was necessarily “ready,” but rather because I wanted to feel anything but the pain I was feeling. I wanted to feel alive and happy again, and although I knew I could only do that for myself, having someone seeing me for me and not just a widow was something that I needed