I am coming up on ten years now. It doesn't hurt less, but it does recede in time. Moving from our home was incredibly hard, but I did it this past year. I moved closer to good friends which has helped.

roll with the tides of grief, one day, hour, minute at a time. It gets easier to ride the waves. 1 year is still pretty fresh, but it does get easier.

I was married for 36 years. Widowed for six.

At first I was dazed. But there were things I needed to do: Get her ashes buried, stop her social security benefits, close cell phone account, etc. After that, I felt like I had out lived my reason to live. It seemed pointless to go on any more. Someone told me to just keep putting one foot in front of the other and my reason to do so will someday become evident. That was true.

In the first year, I think we are devastated and without a direction forward. So they say make no significant changes (like moving away) for the first year or until you are sure of what you want to do with the years you have left. I don't think I have made any significant changes except for re-inventing myself and making a new life as a single man.

I have no deep wisdom to impart, it's only been a bit longer for me.
I will posit this: don't forget you have friends.

the first year came and went and I will be honest, I don't remember it...first thing i did toward recovery was donating the majority of her clothing, keep 3 extra special pieces...it has been 12 years and I still stop every now and then at her closet...stop and think, and give a special thank you for being my wife for 53 years...