I was never widowed, but with #1, when he died, I felt like one.

I was divorced twice, and I went through what you describe. At church I joined the college age group for bible study, only because I liked the way the leader taught. The college age guys and gals treated me and other single ladies with respect and didn't make us feel like we were being threatened or different than they were.

I was invited to attend another group of older people, who were all married couples and when I attended, I was told it was nice that I was there with people my own age. When anybody came up to talk to me, the couple were always together, and the wife always had her husband's arm. I never went back.