I have not personally experienced the death of a spouse, but some time after my last marriage cratered I lost a close girlfriend (much younger than I) to a car accident. We were together for only six months, which may seem small and slight, but for a hardened sinner like myself, who has seen more than his share of death and misery, aye and caused some of it too, it was among of the best six months of my life.

She lived on life support for a week, brain dead, a piece of meat, while her parents and I watched. The decision to turn her off and the manner of her dying will live with me forever.

But saying that, I value the time I had with her, and savor in my memory every moment of them. And I will forget her only at the moment of dying.

Not good at all. It'd be very hard for a while.

there are those that never get over it and are so devastated by their spouses death that they die shortly afterwards. its like a part of yourself died.

Losing the person you've chosen to spend your entire life with, and devote yourself emotionally to? I'd imagine that it'd be the worst thing there can be. If it doesn't hurt, I'd imagine you'd have been with the wrong person all your life.

The comedian in me would rate this a one, and spend some time thinking of the perfect response, however reality tells me that this would be an extremely hard thing to deal with.