One of the loneliest times in life is the period just after a loved husband or wife has passed away. It them seems that nothing is worth doing. Days become full of emptiness. Remorse and self-pity frequently get the upper hand.

All too often, the greatest therapy in this trying situation is overlooked. If the deceased mate pursued a hobby, then this is the time for the remaining spouse to actively continue that hobby. The intense absorption that was there for one can usually be found by the other.

If the hobby was stamp-collecting, there is always some phase of the collection in which the survivor can discover interest, and in addition to the pleasure of associating with the objects that meant so much to the deceased spouse, there is the gratifying feeling of continuing, and perhaps successfully finishing the project.

This leads me to the point of this article. Widows and widowers shouldn’t rush to dispose of a stamp collection immediately upon the death of their spouse. Retain it for a while… at least until it is definitely known that it will not be a desired and useful treasure worth far more, as a pleasurable time consumer and companion, than the monetary return that it may bring.