Discussion: I am a 54-year-old widow. I have been abstaining from sex for ten years, since the death of my husband. I do not feel an urgent need to have sex.

Women are able (unlike men) to abstain from sex for extended periods without emotional or physiological harm. The explanation, in my estimation, is evolutionary. The loss of a spouse is a very traumatic event. At the same time, warmth, love, and romance are essential for a healthy and whole life. I believe your husband, who passed away, wants to see you happy and move on with your life with another man. You're still a young woman and have many years of life! There is no reason to spend the rest of your life alone without love, warmth, passion, and sex.