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A week ago, today, my beloved wife Dallis died.
Eight years after being diagnosed with Stage-4 breast cancer
suddenly she is gone.
She’s not sitting across the table from me at breakfast.
She’s not dancing in the living room to her favorite songs.
She’s not laughing on the phone with a friend.
She’s not holding me tenderly in her embrace.
She’s not filling my heart with her smile.
I don’t know what to do with this day that stretches before me.
There’s a list of things to do … but I hardly care.
I’m sure I’ll walk our dog Bailey … both he and I need it.
Otherwise, all bets are off.
Is this grief?
Not knowing how to be me without her?
Not believing she could really be gone?
Being unsettled by the ache in my heart?
Feeling broken into pieces?
Our future together
that once seemed so ripe with possibility
is now only a memory.
I am overcome with sadness.
Mark Lloyd Richardson
dreamprayact 
How could it be otherwise with the light of your life gone? My wise mother, if she was here, might say, “Thank goodness it hurts. Thank goodness it’s not, ‘Oh well, I’ll just suck it up and go on.” The intense, deep and true love is reflected in your intense, deep pain that true love will in time soften with “I’m so glad you’re still with me” because she still will be. Broken hearts abound with the loss of Dallis. We send you our love and understanding and yes, join you in great sadness.
You were my minister at the Santa Maria Methodist Church. I am so sorry to hear of Dallis’s death. It brought back to me the pain you are feeling. I lost my wife, Judy Horton, July 24, 2018. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on Oct 10th 2016. We were married 57 years. I empathize with you and share your pain. Contact me if you want to talk. My telephone no. is 805-937-5737.
So sorry for such a deep loss! Praying that God’s comfort will become tangible and visible to you in this time of shattering grief.
Lifting you in prayer. The following sent from a friend who had walked before me in grief has helped me in the two year journey since my husband of sixty years died. I have found it to be true.
Grief never totally ends….but it changes.
It’s a passage, not a place we stay.
Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith….
It is the price of love.
Pastor Mark: I am truly saddened by your loss. I really don’t have any words that I can share that mean much, other than there are many of us who share your grief with you and are here for you. Perhaps your religion can help to provide some amount of comfort. Perhaps.
She was joy! She was light! She was laughter. She was friend. I miss her so.
Mark ~~~ we are so very sorry to hear this sad news. Since you moved on, I’ve often thought of you both and prayed all was well. Thankfully, you were blessed with the love, joy and light this sweet lady shared with you for 19 years. Thankfully, she had your love, support and strength through her challenging health issues, May the memories you made together bring you comfort and lasting peace.
Our deepest sympathies,
Wayne & Judy Turnbow
FUMC, SM
Dear Mark:
May our Lords love comfort you and give you strength and hope for tomorrow
Wishing you the best in what may be the difficult days ahead, Mark. You are a gifted and talented writer, may you find solace here on this blog and in the many pleasant memories you have of Dallis.