Divorce can be horrible. It creates a sudden change in your life, and you may lose the person you thought you were closest to. Many across the country, including in Washington, describe becoming a widow in similar terms. It's horrible and incomprehensible.

The process of reconstructing life following widowhood or divorce is dependent on factors such as the spouse's age, the support system in place, family involvement, financial situations, and whether the end of life or marriage was expected. If the nature of the relationship carries complexities prior to the spouse's death, including raising children, life reconstruction is a bigger challenge.

There are situations, too, where a spouse passes away during divorce. Although there is sorrow involved, the widow doesn't have to go through with the divorce proceedings. This leads to the question over whether divorce should be compared with death and, if it is, what would be the findings?

Through divorce, the present situation is over with unless co-parenting is involved. When widowhood occurs, there's finality with the loved one without any other future involvement. Both situations involve reconstruction of what is familiar, including the structure of the family home, the marriage's structure and the loss of identity.

Other issues faced by women going through widowhood, as well as divorce, include juggling aging parents, job duties and parenting responsibilities.

Questions arise if the widow will have enough money to keep up, particularly if she's middle aged. This is not to say divorce is harder to deal with than death. In terms of death, years could have been spent dealing with medical bills, no insurance, loss of income and sitting by your loved one's sick bed. There are similarities, though, and it's important to consider the emotional toll divorce can have on you.

Source: Huffington Post, "Death Or Divorce: Which Is Worse?" D.A. Wolf, Jan. 16, 2012