Nice of you to ask about the good. Because my first husband died when I was 41 I've had almost thirty years of going on without him. First and foremost--I was able to raise our young daughter and keep us afloat. That was something I'd never expected, and frankly had a lot of self doubt about. Now she is grown, and a mom--so I get to be a grandmother. I do think being relatively young helped me go forward. I had to get a full-time job, and I did re-marry and have had many happy years with my second husband. Happier, I think, than if I hadn't been widowed because I try to be more accepting and nag less (I hope!). But other than life going on, I did discover strength in myself, and a lot of gratitude. Still, and this may seem odd, I miss my first husband quite frequently, and think of funny or wise things he'd say, or what he'd think about the present moment. Since he is the reason I even posted about creative ways to express grief I guess I have to say I'll always know how central and important he remains to me.
I enjoyed your thoughts on journaling. Maybe grief and appreciation are also a kind of double that go along together?