I'm always somewhat amazed when a widow says her husband died twenty or so years ago! Usually it's a widow in her dotage, but I feel saddened that their husband should have been dead for so long and they have reached old age without him.
Could I handle life alone? Well, in my present condition definitely not.
I've given this a lot of thought and I can't envisage life without my spouse. I guess it all depends on how happy one is in one's relationship. I wouldn't like to carry on without her.
Ian