A father gave this counsel to his married daughter on the first anniversary of her mother’s death:

“I had forty wonderful years with your Mom,” he said, “the best years of my life. But that part of my life is over. Finished!”

“But Dad …” “No buts, listen to me.” His clear blue eyes stared intensely into mine. I couldn’t turn away from him as much as I wanted to. “They were the best years of my life…