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Dying is Not Always a Sad Process
We think of dying as something sad — a path paved only with despair. But my grandmother Ida taught me otherwise. One day, at age 81, she awoke with difficulty swallowing. My mother took her to the doctor, who fed a scope down her throat and into her stomach. There it was: a tumor. The doctor…
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14 Quotes About Spirituality and Death
Kahlil Gibran, Voltaire, Rumi and other great minds offer their observations to help us perceive the eternal.Nature is just one way for us to see the beauty around us that transcends our daily lives and thus provides greater perspective about death.
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Recovering Cremation Remains After the Los Angeles Fires
Volunteer archaeologists working with the Alta Heritage Foundation are using a unique method for recovering cremation remains after LA fires.Losing a home in a fire is bad enough, but losing the cremains of a loved one in the ruins adds an extra measure of anguish. Hundreds of families may be in that situation following the massive fires in Los Angeles last January. Now a nonprofit that does not charge for its services is working…
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“As Tears Go By”
A melancholy tune about contemplating the past, became a career calling card for Marianne Faithfull, whose life story gave it gravitas.Marianne Faithfull, the English singer, actress and 1960s “It” Girl, died in January at the age of 78. She was perhaps most famous for her UK 1964 hit single “As Tears Go By,” a melancholy song that contemplates the passage of time. She also famously dated Mick Jagger, had memorable roles in several films and…
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“The Sea”
Retreating to a small seaside Irish village, a man confronts the recent death of his wife from cancer in this novel about grief and memory.John Banville’s 2005 novel “The Sea” is not an easy read. Not emotionally. Not mentally. But, like grief itself, it is best approached with the right tools and an openness to fully experiencing it. In the case of this brilliantly weighty novel, one of those tools is probably a dictionary (having dictionary.com open on your…
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Our Monthly Tip: Funeral Favors Offer Visitors a Tangible Memento
A growing number of families are giving out funeral favors with the name, birth and death dates of the person who has died.Immediate family members aren’t the only ones who might want a keepsake by which to remember your loved one. Just as it’s become customary to give out wedding favors printed or engraved with the names and date of the event, a growing number of families are giving out funeral favors with the name, birth and…
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“Comeback”
Prince wrote the song “Comeback” after the death of his infant son Amiir. It’s expression of hope is ideal for a funeral.One of the greatest multitalented musicians of the last 40-odd years, Prince, crafted a ballad titled “Comeback” following the death of his week-old son, Amiir, in 1996. The song, a poignant reflection of his grief, was made available only on a special fan club release. “The first time I heard ‘Comeback,’ which he recorded at…
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“Other Side”
A deeply moving documentary about a woman’s courageous fight for the right to end her life when and how she chooses.When it comes to our wishes for how we die, most of us want three things: to die in our homes with loved ones around us, and with as little pain as possible. But many people don’t have that kind of death, particularly those that are terminally ill. Not so for Lynda Bluestein. In “Other…
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The Other Death in the Family
Eco-friendly pet burials and memorial ideas offer new ways for families to honor companion animals after death with multiple options and funeral customs.With a growing number of people recognizing pets as cherished members of the family, an industry of innovative, eco-friendly pet burial options has risen to meet the needs of cat and dog parents confronting the prospect of eventually honoring their lost fur-babies. But, as with all family members, that means it can be difficult to…
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