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Memento Mori: Memorializing Loved Ones with Photographs
Pictures help people cope with bereavement“Memento Mori,” which translates to “remember that you must die,” was a Victorian tradition of photographing loved ones who had died. The custom was practiced more in England than in the United States. In England, however, it was more common to photograph the loved one in a casket. The photographs in the United States were usually…
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What Is Happiness? (Interview)
A clinical psychiatrist talks about finding happiness during life’s most trying timesToday SevenPonds is speaking with Dr. Laura Delizonna, a clinical psychiatrist, instructor at Stanford University and happiness coach. The coauthor of several books on the value of mindfulness, Dr. Delizonna is a the founder of Choosing Happiness, an ongoing educational project that helps people and organizations “manifest their dreams and attain sustainable happiness.” In this interview, Dr. Laura shares insights…
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Our Weekly Tip: Use the Right Tools to Document Your Wishes About End-of-Life Care
It’s important to understand the difference between an Advance Directive and a Living WillOur Tip of the Week: Today, more and more people understand the importance of documenting their wishes about how they want to be cared for as they approach the end of their lives. Yet, thanks in large part to the confusing array of terms that surround end-of-life documentation, many people are still unsure about how to…
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“Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion”
A collection of philosophies on life and deathReligion plays a role in nearly every society around the world, answering many questions, including the ever-present, “What happens after death?” This is why atheists and agnostics often feel as though they’re left out of the conversation, isolated in their grief. After losing a loved one, they might hear platitudes like, “He’s in a better place,”…
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“I Hope You Dance”
LeeAnn Womack’s song provides inspiration for a funeral or memorial service“I Hope You Dance,” written by Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers and performed by LeeAnn Womack, is a song about following the road less traveled and making active, positive choices. So many people approach the end of life with regrets: “If only I had…” or “I wish I had made more time for…” This song…
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A Second Opinion Could Save Your Life
Doctors misdiagnose patients far more often than most people believeIt’s an all-too-familiar scenario: A woman visits her doctor multiple times for complaints of weight loss, abdominal pain, and fatigue. Her symptoms are chalked up to overwork and stress. Six months later, she visits her gynecologist, who tells her she has ovarian cancer. Six months after that, she’s dead. Despite the mythology surrounding the medical…
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Monday Hearts for Madalene
Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of loveIt’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 with her.” The couple’s first meeting was…
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Physical Intimacy and the Dying
Is Touching Taboo?I observed the loving and longing in Dan’s eyes as he looked towards Jean. Although married for 46 years, their eyes still sparkled when they gazed at each other. He’d kiss her hand and stroke her forehead, and she’d close her eyes and smile. I had asked him about their lives together during many hospice visits,…
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