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“My Sister’s Keeper,”
This film about terminal illness, ethical medical questions, and family relationships lands on many levels“My Sister’s Keeper” is not for the faint of heart. Directed by Nick Cassavetes and based on Jodi Picoult’s bestselling novel, this is an emotionally charged drama that delves into the complexities of family, ethics, and the lengths people will go to for the ones they love. The narrative revolves around the Fitzgerald family, whose…
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Jimmy Carter’s Lengthy Stay Challenges Hospice Misconceptions
The former U.S. president has now spent more than nine months in hospice, emphasizing its impact on quality of lifeFormer U.S. President Jimmy Carter entered home hospice care in February 2023 – and nine months later, his longevity rivals hospice misconceptions. The 39th President of the United States appeared briefly at his late wife Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in Plains, Georgia, on November 29th. The now 99-year-old Carter is looking gaunt and frail but very…
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Tending a Garden May Help Lessen Grief
The practice of doing so enhances physical, mental and emotional wellbeingTending a garden – planting, tilling, digging, weeding, watering, and growing plants, flowers, or food – could beget us better health and wellness. Whether doing so in your own backyard, a shared community space, or otherwise, there is mounting evidence that caretaking greenery is good for you. Gardening may also prove to be a beneficial…
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Writing the Perfect Holiday Card for Someone Who is Grieving
How to write a holiday card to someone in mourningAccording to Hallmark, “Christmas is the largest card-sending holiday in the United States with approximately 1.3 billion cards sent annually.” In conjunction with the massive amount of cards mailed, Psychology Today reports, “35 percent of individuals don’t look forward to the holidays because of the loss of a loved one.” Each year, perhaps almost half…
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Remembering the Life and Legacy of Rosalynn Carter
One of the first advocates for caregiver support in the U.S.The nation is in mourning after former First Lady Rosalynn Carter died at age 96 on Nov. 19, 2023. She is remembered as a passionate advocate for many causes that were once viewed as taboo, starting with her fight to decrease stigma around mental health issues and “brain diseases” such as dementia. Spurred in part…
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“Vanished House” by Hu Quanchun
A haunting, ivy-clad sculpture in a Chinese cemetery evokes the nature of lossChinese designer Hu Quanchun has found a unique way to depict the loss of family, home, and place in his sculpture, “Vanished House.” The sculpture is a memorial installation, set in a cemetery in Wuhan, China. It consists of permeable, ivy-covered walls, open windows, and a roof with a gaping hole – all laser-cut from…
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“Mahmoud”
A Palestinian poet grieves a family life that never came to be“You Can Be the Last Leaf” is a 2022 collection of poems by Palestinian novelist and poet Maya Abu Al-Hayyat. Her poem “Mahmoud,” relayed in full below, is told from the perspective of a would-be mother, imagining a son whom she grieves and yearns for, as she envisions an imperfect but tender family life they…
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Lone Fir Cemetery in Portland, Oregon is an Urban Oasis
The historic greenspace is the second largest arboretum in the stateNestled within the confines of densely populated residential streets in downtown Portland, Oregon, Lone Fir Cemetery invites the public to explore its wide array of history, trees, and wildlife. This picturesque landscape doubles as the oldest existing cemetery in the city, as well as the second largest arboretum in the state. Unique gravestones and markers…
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