A lady in her 60s told me she’s been trying to declutter her home for several years. Specifically, she’s asked her children and grandchildren on many, many occasions, to take beloved items—tea cups, antique furniture, a grandfather clock—and enjoy them now in their own homes. No arguments would be involved …
The ancients burned offerings so a pleasing scent would reach their gods. What better way to share their earthly wealth with deities in the heavens? In the same way, scent creates a connection with people who have passed on. We’ve all heard that smell is the sense closest linked to …
The loss of one parent may upset the balance of holiday celebrations if that person was the family gathering’s lynchpin. More often than not, the celebrations simply go on, minus one. When both parents are gone, holiday plans can get shaken up like a snow globe. If your already-small party …
The post Too Soon brought up the topic of last days. With medical science’s ability, for better or worse, to rescue us from the bodily failures that swiftly took our ancestors to their graves without an adjustable bed or plastic water pitcher in sight, more of us will experience a …
A friend from the Midwest told me she started writing her mother’s obituary while her mother was near death and unconscious in the ICU. She crinkled her eyes a bit as she spoke, as if to say, “Was that wrong? Was I supposed to wait?” But she knew she was …