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Vietnamese Funeral Food Customs and Superstitions
An exploration into the various food customs and superstitions in Vietnamese funeralsFor the Vietnamese, food plays a major role in funeral traditions, both for the person who has died and his or her surviving loved ones. The traditions commence with how the body is prepared for the visitors expected during the wake. Family members ceremonially cleanse the body of their loved one who has died. A…
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Old is the New Black
The fashion world is slowly embracing graceful agingFor decades, models on the cover of most fashion magazines were rarely old enough to order a drink at a bar. In fact, most working models are still between 13 and 16 years old. The world of high fashion is about youth, thinness and airbrushed perfection. A woman over the age of 50 has had…
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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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“Camille on Her Death Bed” by Impressionst Claude Monet, 1879
The artist preserved the image and memory of his wife on canvas as she neared deathThere is no better poster-child for impressionism than Claude Monet. Even if you don’t know much about Monet, chances are you’ve seen some form of his water lilies on everything from mugs to mousepads. The French painter was born Oscar-Claude Monet in 1840. Monet struggled with lung cancer and finally died at the age of…
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“Saving Zoë“
This fictional tale of a girl who loses her sister to murder teaches readers about the complexities of complicated griefStruggling to figure out what to read next, visiting one of my local Little Free Libraries turned serendipitous when I picked up this book with my not-quite-that-common name (and its spelling) in its title and learned that death and complicated grief were the main themes of this young adult novel. The first few words of…
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Ramadan Funeral Traditions
What happens when someone dies during this Muslim holy month?This year’s Ramadan observance starts today and lasts until July 16. People around the world celebrate the tradition with a set of guidelines passed down for generations. For Muslims, Ramadan is a month of reflection and willpower. To commemorate Muhammad and the revelation of the Quran, Muslim believers take one month out of the year…
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Here They Talk About Death
How choosing their end-of-life care helped residents of La Crosse reduce their healthcare costsWhile healthcare costs are among the top concerns for an average American, the small city of La Crosse, Wisconsin spends less on the end-of-life care than any other place in the country. Saving money was not the main goal for Bud Hammes, a medical ethicist for the Gundersen Health System. Bud was the one who…
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