Gilbert and MacArthur have been friends for years. She added: “Even more touchingly, Simon was a beloved friend of Rayya’s for decades. They lived together in London over 30 years ago, and they adored each other forever like siblings. This, as you can imagine, means the world to me.”

The writer says she chose to share her relationship publicly because “I will always share anything personal about my life, if it could help someone else feel more normal about their life”.

She continued: “SO…if you have lost a loved one to death, and you thought you’d never love again, but you are feeling a pull of attraction toward someone new, and you’re not sure if that’s OK? Let me normalize it for you. Let me say: It’s Ok. Your heart is a giant cathedral. Let it open. Let it love. Do not let your gorgeous loyalty to the deceased stop you from experiencing the marvels and terrors of your short, mortal, precious life. It’s OK to live, and to love.”

Elizabeth Gilbert just reminded us that it’s OK to fall in love after a great loss