One of the things I've learned about my own grief has been that loss also opens up opportunities. The time spent in dysfunctional relationships is now available for more productive activities and relationships. Having more time and space to myself has been good for me. I've also watched my mother flourish-- they were married almost 60 years--and in the beginning she didn't have enough to fill some of her days, and now she does.

I don't know if you have projects tucked away that you haven't had time to start-- for me it was a creative endeavor-- but I found doing it was the beginning of healing for me. It also just takes a lot of time just to grieve-- for the first few months, I did little else but take care of my child and furry creatures, organize my house, and take a long nap in the afternoon. Exhaustion was part of my grief response, but now I have more energy than I did before..