Recovery from the death of a spouse is a lifelong healing process. Each year brings a measure of healing as we move toward being able to reclaim life’s joy. Lori Tucker-Sullivan has been widowed for 14 years and shares her journey as she authored her book, I Can’t Remember If I Cried: Rock Widows on Life, Love, and Legacy.
In this Episode:
- 01:31 – Recipe: Maltese Soppa Tal-armla – Widow’s Soup
- 04:25 – The Day the Music Died
- “I can’t remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride”
- 06:40 – Interview with Lori Tucker-Sullivan
- 49:03 – “Widowhood is More Than…” excerpt from blog Hope Grows in the Wilderness by Alisha Bozarth
- 53:40 – Outro
Our Guest: Lori Tucker Sullivan
The stories of rock musicians who die young are the thing of lore and legend. Accidents, drug overdoses, plane crashes—all have taken the lives of male rock stars still in their primes. But what became of their widowed brides? How did they survive a loss so great? What is it like to have to share your grief with millions of strangers? And where are these widows today?
I Can’t Remember if I Cried is part music history, part memoir, based around interviews with rock widows conducted by Lori Tucker-Sullivan—who herself lost her husband in 2010. With each widow that Lori interviews, she learns lessons in love, forgiveness, coping, and moving on. The book is framed by the author’s own narrative to create a single thread that links the stories together to ultimately create a tale of how the author’s life is changed through her interactions with these amazing women.
Lori joins us on Everyone Dies to share about her personal journey and how authoring this book helped her own healing.
Widowhood Is More Than…
Charlie read a beautiful post from the blog by Alisha Bozarth, Hope Grows in the Wilderness. Alisha lost her husband tragically in a car accident in 2017. She and her two daughters were also in the car. Her husband of 13 years died on the scene, and her youngest had a harrowing journey to recovery.
Alisha has turned her pain into a ministry. She wanted to write about the realism of widowhood, the honest struggle of faith, and to speak truth and encourage wisdom. You can read her blog and find her grief devotional at https://alishabozarth.com/
Recipe of the Week: Soppa Tal-armla Widow’s Soup
Widow’s Soup is a hearty and comforting Maltese soup popularly served in cooler weather. Filled with vegetables, lentils, and pasta, it’s simmered in a flavorful broth with herbs and spices.
The soup earned its name from an old tale of a widow who, in her grief, found solace in the comforting flavors of this nourishing soup. As she prepared the soup, the aroma filled her home, bringing warmth and healing to her heart. It became a symbol of resilience and strength for widows in the community, and the recipe was shared among them as a way to support and uplift each other during difficult times.
Need some comfort? Head to InventedRecipes.com for the full story and recipe!
Related Content:
- Moving Forward After Loss
- S2E5: Looking for Love after a Partner Dies
- Growth and Remembrance: What to Expect Your Third Year of Grief
- S3E20: Riding the Wave: Navigating the Second Year of Grief
References:
- Widowhood Is More Than… – Alisha Bozarth, Author and Blogger
- Gloomy Don McLean reveals meaning of ‘American Pie’ — and sells lyrics for $1.2 million – The Washington Post
Resources:
- I Can’t Remember If I Cried: Rock Widows on Life, Love, and Legacy by Lori Tucker-Sullivan. Available here: https://a.co/d/0E79WW8
- Blog: Life and Widowhood – Alisha Bozarth, Author and Blogger
- Lyrics for American Pie by Don McLean – Songfacts
- Moving Towards Better – Widowhood Recovery
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Everyone Dies: and yes, it is normal!
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