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“Smile”
A solemn song about hopeful tomorrowsAlthough the song, “Smile” may not seem like one well-suited for a funeral or memorial, its sentimental overtones convey both sorrow and hope. First released by Nat King Cole on the album “Ballads of the Day,” the song encourages us to push through sadness and fear much like the sun does through the clouds. It…
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Praying the Rosary: A Catholic Funeral Rite
A Catholic devotional meditation provides comfort after deathFor many Catholic Americans, praying the rosary holds deep significance and can be a meaningful part of Catholic funeral rites. A rosary is a Roman Catholic devotional prayer that invites the speaker to meditate on the mysteries of Christ and draw close to His mother, the Virgin Mary. In Catholic belief, the Virgin Mary and…
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Does ChatGPT Understand Death?
Some intrepid explorers have asked the AI to write eulogiesEver since OpenAI released ChatGPT, its generative AI bot in November, the internet has been lauding its ability to write poems, explain quantum computing, and even provide dating advice. There has also been much concern over the bot’s ability to write student essays, or its potential to impact the jobs of white-collar professionals such as…
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Random Acts of Flowers: Delivering Hope to Those Who Need It Most (Interview)
An interview with Steffani Zavala of Random Acts of Flowers explores the power of flowersIn July 2007, Larsen Jay was in a near-fatal accident, which caused him to spend significant time in the hospital to recover. Jay attributed his successful recovery to family and friends who visited him and the dozens of flowers and cards he received while there. Once Jay was able to leave his hospital room, he…
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“The World Is a Beautiful Place”
The world is actually more like a capricious placeThe world is a beautiful placeto be born intoif you don’t mind happinessnot always beingso very much funif you don’t mind a touch of hellnow and thenjust when everything is finebecause even in heaventhey don’t singall the time Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s poem “The World is a Beautiful Place” is a whimsical, thought-provoking piece that examines the…
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SevenPonds Attends the 2023 National Clinicians Conference on Medical Aid in Dying
Clinicians advocate, educate and ruminate on terminally ill patients’ right to dieSevenPonds was present at The 2023 National Clinicians Conference on Medical Aid in Dying to provide our readers with an inside look at the changing medical landscape of this growing field. We learned about clinical aid-in-dying advancements alongside the 480 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, end of life doulas and volunteers, who attended the two-day…
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Are Americans Done With Expensive Funerals?
Most people would prefer no funeral at allWith gas prices skyrocketing and groceries getting more and more costly, Americans seem ready to ditch expensive funerals. According to a new survey, 70% of Americans say they would rather be buried in a cardboard box than have their families shell out for an overpriced funeral. Who can blame them? While we all want to…
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“Bigger Than The Whole Sky”
A poignant song that resonates with survivors of pregnancy lossWhen Taylor Swift’s most recent album “Midnights” was released on October 21, 2022, it was an instant hit, spawning No. 1 songs and rave reviews. But one of the lesser known songs is causing waves in a different way, resonating with those grieving pregnancy loss. “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” starts out grieving some unnamed…
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