Dear Annie: How do I move on after the death of my wife?

Dear Readers: Below are two lovely letters for “Grieving in Portland,” the man who is grieving his late wife and wondering how best to move on — for his own sake and for his dog, Max. The first letter offers a practical suggestion, while the second has some words of encouragement that were too beautiful not to print. I hope you enjoy.

Dear Annie: “Grieving in Portland” seems like a really wonderful gentleman who would make a great partner for a lucky lady out there! He mentions his Cavachon, and seems very devoted to his dog. I have Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and run a Facebook group with over 1,500 members, the vast majority of whom are female, and plenty of them are single (some even widows).

The dogs immediately give us all a common interest, and we regularly schedule in-person meetups for our dogs to play. I have met some of my best friends in the group! I think “Grieving” could meet some wonderful people if he looked into joining dog groups on social media, where he can find meetups and start making social connections. Dogs are an excellent social lubricant, and he will know immediately that he has at least that much in common with the people he is spending time with. — Dog Mom in Michigan

Dear Annie: Your advice, Annie, to “Grieving in Portland,” was sound.

The key is to push yourself to build a life that is good, with or without a partner. Get involved; volunteer at a food bank, build a habitat home, paint a playground, join a hiking club with Max, take classes on something you’ve always wanted to learn, join a cornhole team — whatever.

My amazing new husband and I lost our loves to cancer, both devastated after happy marriages. We met down the road in a meeting about fundraising for our local schools, a shared passion.

Use that overflowing love from your late wife to find your way. She will help you. Meet people to have more friends, because the world is wide. The rest will fall into place. — Twice Blessed

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].