"How do we continue on? How do we do this?"

My response to a widder on the YWBB:

You don't "continue on." You don't do "this." "This" is so much bigger than any of us can comprehend. So you take a deep breath and do the only thing you can: Step gently into the next moment. You can do that, and you know you can, because you have made it this far.

When I was new to the WidowRoad, I used the analogy of a sidewalk, with each square representing a moment, a minute, an hour, a day... a relentless infinity of time. The horrible thing was that I could see countless squares of the sidewalk stretching on and on before me, and Nick wasn't in any of them. I couldn't bear to look up as I walked, seeing all those empty squares in front of me. I kept my head down, my eyes on my feet; I focused on the moment right in front of me, the task right before me.

Sometimes, even that was too much for me. But gradually I could lift my head and look back to see how far I'd come. Gradually, I could look around to see the world around me. Gradually I could look at the road in front of me. It still pains me that Nick isn't there; I still hate every bit of it. But I can do it. I know I can do it. So I take my own advice and do the only thing I can: Breathe deeply and step gently into the next moment.