Widowland

I’m fine. That’s what grievers often say when people ask how they’re doing. Except they’re not fine. Rachel Brougham lived a charmed life. She grew up playing sports in a small town in Michigan. She had great friends, found her dream job, and in 2001, met Colin. They were engaged just six weeks later, had a baby, and eventually moved to Minneapolis. Things were great until Colin was killed in a cycling accident just a few blocks from home. In that instant, nearly every aspect of Rachel’s life changed. Widowland explores how grief changes a person, from their brain chemistry to how they think and go on with their lives. In her essays, Rachel shows us that grieving doesn’t always mean we need to be sad. Sometimes it means laughing over washing some of our dead husband’s ashes down the sink, making it through the day by meandering in the nearest Target store or responding to awkward messages on dating apps. Rachel’s story sheds light on the darkness grievers experience after everyone else has moved on, and what those who are in pain wish they could say to those on the outside of it. And for anyone on the outside seeking help with how to support those going through tough times, Widowland is the guide we always needed.

Rachel Brougham is an award-winning writer and newspaper columnist. She spent fifteen years working in newsrooms in Michigan before moving to Minnesota. A true Midwesterner at heart, she loves complaining about the weather while simultaneously trying to avoid weather chat with strangers. She, her son Thom, and her current husband Matt live in Minneapolis.

Instagram @RachBrougham
Twitter @RachelBrougham
Website: www.rachelbrougham.com