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Easter in the Greek Orthodox Tradition
Do you know what you’re doing for this weekend’s Easter celebration? In the U.S., even many families who are not religious observe the holiday. It can be a good time to bring families together and celebrate life by reflecting on the death and rebirth that is the religious focus of the holiday for many. If…
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Easter Bunny Visits Children’s Hospitals
It looks like the Easter Bunny does not overlook hospitals. At hospitals across the country this time of year, the creature of Springtime fantasy and glee is making the rounds to spread a bit of joy to sick children. Last Friday, the Easter Bunny stopped by Children’s Hospital Central California, accompanied by a motorcade of…
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“Sunlight on the Garden”
Louis MacNeice’s poem culminates in an optimistic view of dyingLouis MacNeice’s “Sunlight on the Garden” can be interpreted in many different ways. Some view it as a war poem, others as a poem about love. I personally read it as a poem about accepting death. The narrator struggles with the notion initially, but by the end is able to come to terms with it.…
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Controversial Art Finds a Home in the East Bay
Photographer Varese Layzer has found a welcoming home for her collection Making Room, photographs that document her experience of clearing out her childhood home after her mother’s death. Nine months ago, the collection was removed from its promised (and contracted) display at Ritual Coffee Roasters in San Francisco’s Mission district, because the cafe’s owner thought…
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What’s the Role of Spirituality in Healing? (Interview)
Dr. Karen Wyatt is a physician who focuses on spirituality and applying Integral Medicine concepts to the care of her patients. She is also the author of A Matter of Life and Death: Stories to Heal Loss & Grief, and What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying. Kelly: How…
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In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
Jeff Mangum – singer, songwriter, auteur, recluse, and enigmatic frontman of late ‘90s indie outfit Neutral Milk Hotel – was inspired to write his magnum opus because of Anne Frank. At least, that’s the theory espoused by the (many) fans of this cult-hit group, and lyrics which echo the diary of Anne Frank seem to…
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Let’s Have a Discussion About End-of-Life Care
A recent article in the San Jose Mercury News not only let writer Lisa Krieger share the story of her father’s final days with intrigued readers, but also taught the author some valuable lessons about what she considers “a good death.” ” How could the hospital bill for the final 10 days of this frugal…
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“The Bridge”
A documentary that brings attention to mental health, suicide prevention, and the importance of compassionate careThis article discusses themes of suicide. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek immediate professional support or contact a local crisis service. When we hear news of a recent suicide, whether near or remote to our own lives, everything in us stops still. We naturally think: “why suicide?” Understanding and examining suicidal tendencies…
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“Prospice”
Robert Browning’s poem views dying as a victoryBack in February I wrote about a love sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Today, I’m analyzing a poem by her husband, Robert Browning, who was also a famous poet. The poem is called “Prospice,” which is a Latin term meaning to examine the future, or look toward the future. The title is fitting for the…
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