• “Little Father” by Li-Young LeeA son explores his father’s death and ongoing presence in heartfelt poem

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    “Little Father” by Li-Young Lee
    A son explores his father’s death and ongoing presence in heartfelt poem



  • “Finding Peace When Your Heart is in Pieces”A book exploring a return to individualistic approaches to mourning

    “Finding Peace When Your Heart is in Pieces”
    A book exploring a return to individualistic approaches to mourning

     When you read Dr. Paul Coleman’s “Finding Peace When Your Heart is in Pieces,” don’t expect to get simple, cookie-cutter advice about loss. You won’t find trite tips such as “How to heal from a loss in five easy steps” or “Ten things you should do today to get over the death of a loved…

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  • “Old age is always fifteen years older than I am.”
    – Oliver Wendell Holmes

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  • Telling the Bees: A Medieval Funeral TraditionA funeral tradition that reflects the central importance of bees in daily life and worldview

    Telling the Bees: A Medieval Funeral Tradition
    A funeral tradition that reflects the central importance of bees in daily life and worldview

    Bees were highly prized in Medieval Europe for their honey and wax. The honey was used as a sweetener and medicine, as well as the key ingredient in mead — a mildly alcoholic drink that was consumed for its nutritive and restorative properties. Beeswax provided the cleanest-burning source of light at the time, which was…

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  • In the Age of the Internet, More Celebrities Are Living Out Illnesses In SecretWhat the deaths of David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Jackie Collins teach us about modern celebrity

    In the Age of the Internet, More Celebrities Are Living Out Illnesses In Secret
    What the deaths of David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Jackie Collins teach us about modern celebrity

    In 2016, it’s hard to imagine anyone keeping a secret for long, let alone a big one like a cancer diagnosis. Nearly everyone is on social media, posting about everything from a job they just snagged to trivial details about their lives, such as what they had for breakfast this morning. In the age of…

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  • Monday Hearts for Madalene
    Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of love

    Remembering Our Nest of Love on These Cold Days 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…

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  • When Your Dying Loved One Refuses Food

    When Your Dying Loved One Refuses Food

    It’s not easy watching your loved one lose weight due to the loss of appetite that accompanies advancing disease. This is one of the most emotionally charged issues with terminal illness, so it’s important to understand how the body changes over time. Just 4 more bites of applesauce…please. You have to eat something! Sometimes the…

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  • Grief Point: Dancing in the AbyssEvocative contemporary dance piece expresses the confusion of grief

    Grief Point: Dancing in the Abyss
    Evocative contemporary dance piece expresses the confusion of grief

    “Grief Point,” an award-winning solo contemporary dance choreographed by Sidra Bell and performed by Moo Kim, invites viewers into a universal aspect of grief that is often considered a private experience in the Western world. “Grief Point” is based on Loscil’s ambient stream-of-consciousness song “The Making of Grief Point,” and evokes the listless, isolated and monochromatic…

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  • Can A Handmade Softie Toy Be Of Therapeutic Benefit During The Grieving Process? (Interview)How one artist used a sewing machine and ingenuity to bring children's drawings to life

    Can A Handmade Softie Toy Be Of Therapeutic Benefit During The Grieving Process? (Interview)
    How one artist used a sewing machine and ingenuity to bring children’s drawings to life

    Today is an interview with Wendy Tsao, the artist who founded the home-based business Child’s Own Studio in 2007. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Child’s Own Studio was born when Wendy decided to make a softie toy based on a sketch drawn by her then 4 year-old son, Luca. Throughout her years of running the business,…

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  • Our Weekly Tip: Toss Valentine’s Day Remembrance Kisses and HugsLet guests join in the scattering of ashes at a V-Day memorial service

    Our Weekly Tip: Toss Valentine’s Day Remembrance Kisses and Hugs
    Let guests join in the scattering of ashes at a V-Day memorial service

    Our Tip of the Week: Valentine’s Day, the international day of love, can be a perfect time of year for a memorial service. It’s the day we’re accustomed to expressing our deepest love with words, flowers and gestures, and will be a memorial celebration forever in everyone’s heart. Consider gathering family and friends to join in the scattering of…

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