my wife passed recently as well,i to did not plan on becoming suddenly single at 42 either but i did and i have found that the hardest thing is to even get someone to talk to after they find out that i am now widowed,it's almost like a plague i don't get it.i don't think i am ready to date just yet but the negative reception so far isn't much to look forward to.
we were married just over 25 years have 4 children with the youngest just turned 5, so dating isn't on the top priority list just yet.
I do feel really scared for when and if i do get back in to dating,it is no where even close to what it was years ago.