A different way to die

This is a really great article about the death care industry in Canada, and how it is growing and changing. It's an exciting time. Wills online, virtual death supports, home funerals... I'm thrilled to see this progression and one can only hope that these changes and advances continue their way from 'unique' to main stream. 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadas-growing-death-care-industry-offers-a-different-way-to-die/

Preparation

I’m getting ready to present a masterclass to my colleagues and peers next week at a conference, and in going through some materials I have at home, I was reminded of this poem. I like it. It’s great advice. I hope it is useful to you. 

Just too much

I like to think that I am generally death-positive. But sometimes, the grief touches too close to home, and I have to live in my moment for a bit. 

Make lunch for my kiddo, lug dirt in my yard, have conversations with donors, give performance reviews, run, sleep, eat. 

For me, this is where silence around situations like the horrific massacre in Uvalde, Texas comes up. I couldn’t let it in. 

And I know I must. Because that pain is so real for so many. 

So taking some time today to honour those victims, read their stories, honour the lives they will not live.

It is a lot, but it is important. Do it when you’re able, but be gentle on yourself. 

Bookmark

I read this article a while back and have kept the tab open in my browser. I don’t want to forget it. I don’t want to forget these grievers. 

It’s my personal acknowledgment that as the world “gets back to normal”, the last two years sucked, and our current situation continues to be horrendous for so many people. 

Let’s definitely not forget that. Keep the tab open. 

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2022/04/us-1-million-covid-death-rate-grief/629537/ 

Ear candy

If you have a few minutes in your day, I’d recommend checking out a particular (& hilarious) New York Times magazine essay, or listening to the podcast version read by author Sam Anderson. You can find the podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000565257807

Although it may seem like an odd recommendation based on the title, I’m sharing my favourite line to connect the dots: “diet culture is a fear of death disguised as transformation”. 

In fact, this listen reminds me of another great podcast episode that I listened to recently, featuring death doula Alua Arthur. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/we-can-do-hard-things-with-glennon-doyle/id1564530722?i=1000563434679 In this episode, Alua speaks about her approach to embracing humanness, in recognition that we only have this one life.

One life.