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Greeting Cards Are Getting Really Real, and We’re Here For It
How some greeting card companies have picked up on the trend of using dark humor to deal with death and illnessFor a long time, if you wanted to send a card to someone who was sick, all the options were frustratingly optimistic. They would unfailingly offer wishes of “get better soon,” or “healing thoughts and prayers.” Those cards fit the bill if someone had surgery, for example, or was dealing with the flu. But what…
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“Who Knew”
A song inspired by teenage trauma speaks to anyone who has lost someone closePop/rock star Pink has carved a unique niche for herself by flying upside down high above an arena audience while belting out an anthem without missing a beat. But in “Who Knew,” a major hit that predates her flashy acrobatics, she presented a more reflective side as she sang about losing someone too soon. Alecia…
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“Crying in H Mart”
A biracial woman confronts her identity after the death of her Korean mother in this memoirKorean grandmothers eating noodles, sweet rice cakes in plastic sleeves, frozen dumpling skins awaiting filling — these are the sights that prompt author Michelle Zauner to burst into tears in H Mart (FYI, H Mart is a US chain of Korean supermarkets packed with delicacies from Korea and beyond). This scene also comprises the opening…
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Long Unclaimed Ashes Finally Receive a Veterans’ Burial
Two Oregon women sort through thousands of cremains to honor those who servedEncountering unclaimed cremated ashes is, unfortunately, not unique. Finding volunteers willing to sort through thousands of them to uncover those that belong to veterans — and thus earn a veterans’ burial — is nearly unheard of. Yet that’s the story of Carolyn Arntson and Denise Hatch of Portland, Oregon, who spent 10 years sifting through…
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De-Stigmatizing Suicide and Suicide-Loss Survivors’ Grief (Interview)
Sara Murphy debunks the myths surrounding America’s suicide epidemicAfter 18 years as a suicidologist, Sara Murphy, Ph.D., FT, is pleased to note that contemporary culture is beginning to shift – albeit slowly – to reflect a better understanding of the causes and effects of suicide. Murphy, a certified thanatologist and death educator, is certainly doing her part: she has taught more than 60…
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Our Monthly Tip: Create an Annual Ritual to Celebrate the Birthday of Your Child Who Died
A heartfelt way to honor the child’s life, and process grief in a positive wayOur Tip of the Month The loss of a child is a uniquely devastating experience which often leaves parents feeling isolated in their grief. One way to cut through that feeling of isolation is to invite friends and loved ones to honor the child’s birthday in an annual ritual.
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“I’m Not a Mourning Person”
A memoir exploring how a cancer thriver meets her father’s death with candor, humor, and wisdomBest-selling author, Kris Carr’s book, “I’m Not a Mourning Person” is a hybrid of a few genres. Part memoir, part grief guide and part self-help book, Carr explores her own experience with grief and relays the lessons she learned along the way. She sprinkles quotes from well-known authors about grief, backs up advice with research…
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17 Quotes About the Gifts of Aging
Getting older is a privilege we sometimes forget to acknowledgeAging often gets a bad rap, but there is a beautiful side to growing older that deserves celebration. As we age, we gain wisdom, experience and a deeper appreciation for the nuances of life. In this article, we’ve gathered 17 uplifting quotes about aging that highlight its brighter aspects. These quotes remind us that aging…
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Tex-Mex Chain’s “Big Burrito Challenge” Offers Chance to Win a Burial Plot
Promotion warns that consuming the massive creation may induce a “food coma”Everyone from death doulas to spiritual guides have preached the benefits of contemplating your death as a way to live better in the present. In an off-handed way, the bizarre “Big Burrito Challenge” in Australia is encouraging people to do just that.
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