hi joanna! yes, people definitely share stories in the group, in particular questions or experiences they feel they couldn't share elsewhere. things like "has anyone else here thought about changing your last name back to your maiden name?" or sharing -- and sending support about -- a regret about the time before or after husband/partner's death, or calls for advice about relating to your late husband/partner's family, etc. etc... it's intimate and real. there's not a formal in-person part, but there was a meetup in one city after some members figured out they lived in the same place, and some pairs of people have met in person and posted pics. the founder is nora mcinerny purmort, whose husband died of brain cancer in 2014 -- she's a combo of that funny and sad realness.