Our EndNotes column today discussed whether a friend should be upset that a widowed friend is remarrying so quickly after her husband died. Our answer in a nutshell: Nah. Celebrate with her instead.

If we had more room to discuss, we might have added that aging baby boomers will likely do the couple thing in many different ways than the Greatest Generation did during their 60s, 70s and 80s.

The "roast beef dinner circuit" for widowers -- in which widowed men were courted by widows hoping to marry again -- might go the way of Magic Fingers beds (see newspaper's great story about that here). Women (and men) will simply have a lot more options for friendship and intimacy. I predict many widowed women will opt to stay single and even opt out of the dating game and, instead, pursue encore careers or travel a lot or pursue hobbies they never had time for during their demanding younger years.

I also predict there will be a lot more opportunities for friendship between aging men and women. Group activities will become even more popular and available, eliminating that "eating alone" and "sorrowful Sundays" syndrome many widowed people complain about.

And of course, I might be entirely wrong in these predictions.

Your thoughts?

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