KATE SEIDMAN
Artist, Advocate, Author
Kate Seidman describes herself as "a maker of things." She is a prolific artist, gifted in many mediums including ceramics, colored clay, fabric, jewelry, and illustrations. She was an art teacher for many years, teaching beginning students to college age, often focusing on helping kids in crisis find joy and inspiration through creativity.
She has raised 3 children with her beloved husband and now, after learning how to love her life as a widow, she spends many of her days at her cozy cottage near the ocean in Tampa Bay, Florida.
The Widow Roadmap - Finding My Way
AVAILABLE IN 2023!
From the Introduction...
I never thought I would be a widow. It never occurred to me that Mitch would ever die. He was strong and fearless. Then, when he was about to turn 66, he got very sick, and died suddenly.
I was in shock and living in a fog. I didn't rant, or scream. I started calling myself “The Widow Seidman.”
The idea of being a “widow” was unthinkable. I was more comfortable with humor than grief. I began keeping a journal. I wanted to be conscious and remember what was happening to me. Writing became a daily practice, a safe place to unravel my fears and uncertainties. I believe that writing saved me, and I highly recommend it, especially to those who are grieving.
Mitch and I lived by the sea. The morning after he died, I looked out my window at the ocean and thought: Where is he, where did he go? Will we ever meet again? He left so suddenly, it felt like he’d be right back. In that moment I realized there is more to this world and how it works than I will ever know or understand. I felt Mitch all around me then, and I continue to feel his presence even now.
I moved my wedding ring to my right hand—a sign of having once been married—and I became a widow, a single woman. When Mitch died I had not been a single woman for forty years. It was uncharted territory, uncomfortable and lonely. I created this book of my widow experiences to help other widows feel less lonely and to help them see what a new life could look like. I tried to make this book easy to read and as funny as I could considering the subject. The book has stories, poems, facts, and my illustrations. Simply, it is a gentle guide meant to show you a path and to give you some ideas so that you too can create your own new life.
Good Luck and Love,
Kate, the Widow Seidman