Today' Show's Bobbie Thomas Excited to Begin Dating Journey 2 Years After Husband's Death

Bobbie Thomas is remaining hopeful about her romantic future.

In a diary-entry-style essay for Today.com, Thomas opened up about beginning to reenter the dating world after the death of her husband, Michael Marion.

Beginning by questioning whether one is ever "ready," she recalled how her Today show colleague Sheinelle Jones told her about an interview she had with fellow widow Julie Thomason, who is known as @SpilledMilkMamma.

"She'd shared with Sheinelle that she met someone new and found that 'her heart expanded' to love more," Thomas, 48, wrote. "Can we make space for the past while also being open to the present? That's the question I've been asking myself lately after a series of moments like that with Sheinelle and other friends."

"Two years after losing my husband, I find myself intimately acquainted with my grief, yet anxious about not wanting to put my life on hold until I feel 'better' or 'healed.' I wish those were attainable goals, but I know we carry memories and experiences from the past with us, which shape who we are," she continued.

Though Thomas noted how "Michael's absence still leaves a gaping hole in my heart," she knows she has to set an example for their son, Miles.

"In addition to the place he occupies, my son, Miles, also monopolizes my heart. And that is what pushes me to move forward. I want Miles to be surrounded by positivity, and I want to be one of the people to inspire him. I want to show him how to look for the way forward and seek happiness. That starts with making space for my own joy and love," she explained.

"I'm a people person, and I value relationships. I like sharing my life with people because it makes all the moments more special," she added. "So yes, I hope there is someone out there who is like-minded and who I can share my life with. It's scary to think about all the challenges and checklists, but I'm learning to trust myself, and I'm willing to step out of my comfort zone."

And while she still has "a lot of questions" about dating in the digital age, Thomas admitted: "I'm excited to start this journey."

"I didn't expect to find myself in the dating world again, but I'm not going to let fear hold me back," she said. "Life is too short to wait for the perfect time or the perfect person. I'm ready to make space for the past, embrace the present and see where this journey takes me."

Thomas revealed she joined three dating apps — Tinder, The League and Hinge — to find potential romantic prospects, but her "first date was not from the apps" and was arranged through a friend.

Even though the unidentified man was "warm and easy to talk to," she "couldn't help feeling disconnected." She woke up the next day missing her late husband — and "thinking about someone," a fellow widower she met through a platonic meetup set up by her in-laws. He is a parent who also lost his wife.

"I can't stop thinking about the connection, and now I'm secretly hoping for a one-on-one coffee with him," she said. "But I'm not sure how or if that would ever happen."

Marion died at the age of 42 in December 2020 after a bacterial infection led to organ failure. The year before, the lawyer suffered an ischemic stroke that impacted his ability to walk.

Thomas took a 16-month hiatus from the Today show to mourn the loss of her spouse. Ahead of her big return, she told PEOPLE "there's a real anxiety and sadness about going on the show because, in a lot of ways, it's like having to really accept that life is officially moved on."

"He's not coming back and in a weird way, when somebody takes that time to step back, I could be in that bubble and protect it," she continued. "And getting back on the show, I haven't done that since he was here. So now it's like, 'No, he's still not here and I'm moving forward.' So, it's really scary."