It was late summer. I had worked a 70 hour week, capped off with a Saturday funeral that lasted (viewing to burial) 7 hours (most last 3 hours). I got home at five, settled in by watching Penn State football and then my cell phone rang. “Caleb,” it was my grandfather’s voice, “we have a […]
That’s what I wanted to say. If you know me, you know that I tend to be blunt. Awkwardly so. Being that blunt objects aren’t allowed at funerals, I’ve learned the art of professional speak. Situation Number 1: Blunt Caleb: “When we picked your dad up from the nursing home, he was looking all purple […]
The funeral industry is too often known for its worst practitioners. The practitioners who take financial advantage of the bereaved in their most helpless state. Those who price gouge and exploit. Those who use the dark side of the Force. So how can you – the consumer – distinguish between the funeral homes that genuinely […]
The author of today’s guest post wishes to remain anonymous. ***** “If you don’t ‘man-up’, you’ll never get a job in the funeral industry.” These words will forever be replaying in my head, until my dying day. As a mortuary science student, you must be prepared for many things: hard work, long study hours, and […]
Tears in the produce aisle of Wal-Mart. Hugs at the gas station. An affectionate gaze at the pizza shop. Created by death. To you, I’m all the depth without any superficial. The person who helped you walk through the shadow. The person who stood with you as you said your last goodbye. As the lid […]