Some of these 10 things are things that I hate. Some are things that are universally hated (i.e. tissue gas) by those of us in funeral homes. While others are things that industry funeral directors love to hate (and when I use the term “industry funeral director” I’m talking about the sycophantic, uptight company men […]
Ideas have consequences, but narratives shape our world. When it comes to death, our narratives are generally woven with denial, negativity, and anything that can distract us from our mortality. I believe death harbors sacred spaces that enable us to find our true selves and true community. This narrative that there’s good in […]
Funerals are the perfect storm for drama. Death brings out all sorts of emotions and because we’re not used to emotions like grief, it’s more difficult to control our emotions as a whole. You might say things that they’ve been thinking for years, like telling your brother, “You’re so rich, YOU should pay for dad’s […]
Fuck Heroin. FUCK. IT. That’s what I want to say when I get a phone call from a crying son, daughter, husband, wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend telling me their loved one has died from an overdose. But I don’t say that. I don’t say it because it’s impolite and I’m supposed to be the even minded […]
This week we were informed that Senator John McCain was diagnosed with malignant glioblastoma. The median survival for patients with malignant glioblastoma is 14 months, while roughly 10% of those diagnosed live up to five years. John McCain is the definition of brave. He was a prisoner of war in Northern Vietnam for five and […]