Dear Abby: Widower wonders whether to pump the brakes on new relationship

DEAR ABBY: I lost my wife of 20 years four months ago after a prolonged illness. I retired at 62 and became her primary caretaker. The job of caretaker is endless and stressful, and yet rewarding. A female friend of many years (“Dinah”) came to the memorial. I grieved, attended Grief Share and read articles about grief. I experience grief every day and will for my whole life.

Recently, Dinah and I began spending time together, including worship. For clarification, we have never been intimate and won’t be until our wedding night (if that ever happens). The difficulty is how my late wife’s family have reacted. They are becoming more and more distant. I don’t feel I’m doing anything wrong. Others have said, “You should wait for at least a year.” My financial planner and I…