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A Big Week for California Assembly Bills Addressing End-of-Life Issues
California tackles both the aid-in-dying as well as the first digital assets billIt’s been a big week for end-of-life legislative action in the state of California. Given the state’s size, hence importance, many eyes watch as two assembly bills currently work their way through the process. The first is the aid-in-dying bill. This past week, after a heated debate among Democrats and Republicans, the aid-in-dying bill is finally headed to…
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Monday Hearts for Madalene
Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of loveMy Heart Will Always Blaze for You! It’s an honor for SevenPonds to share with our readers the story of the Monday Hearts for Madalene project, a true account of the power of love in the midst of death. The project’s origins take us to 2005: the moment Page Hodel encountered Madalene Rodriguez and fell “instantly, dizzyingly in love…
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Creating New Life from Death
The Ashwinlkumar Crematorium of Surat, IndiaWe are wrapping up our focus on India today, in honor of Gandhi’s birthday and the International Day of Nonviolence, with a look at the beautiful Ashwinlkumar Crematorium in Surat, India. The architecture of this structure pays respect to its purpose and helps give it a quiet dignity. It stands on the bank of the…
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“Cremation or Burial? A Jewish View”
A case for burial over cremation is presented in this book through a Jewish lensModern society tends to prefer cremation: it is perceived as cheaper than a burial, more environmentally sound, and, well, just more hip. To the contemporary person, “the idea of scattering ashes seems a eco-friendly alternative” to burial. The idea of a body decomposing in a box seems a bit putrid compared to the quick and…
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What American Indian Burial Rituals Can Teach Us
Green burial is all the rage today, but many Native American tribes continue to practice it as they have for thousands of yearsIn these days of increasing eco-conscious, less-is-more aestheticism, many of those preparing for an end-of-life are beginning to question the need for elaborate caskets, garish flower displays and environmentally unsound cemeteries. Home funerals too, that is, the family keeping, cleaning and preparing the body of their loved one in their own home, are becoming more…
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To Sue, or Not to Sue
Many nursing homes are asking patients to sign contracts revoking their right to sue for alleged abuseWhen you send someone you love to a nursing facility, you likely trust that your loved one is in good hands. Nursing is a caring profession by definition, so why would you worry about your loved one receiving around-the-clock care? Unfortunately, not all experiences end this way. As Esther Brown’s family tells The Des Moines…
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“Fruit Tree”
Nick Drake’s gorgeous ode to tortured fame highlights life and deathFew songs capture the artist’s life as perfectly as Nick Drake’s “Fruit Tree.” Drake’s own life was filled with anguish as he struggled with depression and addiction, eventually consuming him entirely at just 26 years old. Despite his tormented history, “Fruit Tree” is unlike any other song in the genre. While it’s true that the…
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