Category: Death and Dying

Contemplating Afterlife

PART 2 ARTICLE 9 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ This past year, I have lost several close friends and shared in the grief of others who have endured profound losses, including life-threatening diagnoses, the passing of their spouses, or, most heartbreakingly, their children. At my age of 72 and beyond, such losses are expected, yet…
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Messages from Beyond… Lynn’s Legacy

PART 1 ARTICLE 25 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ The morning after Lynn passed, I went to the beach, thinking about her memorial service scheduled for a month later. She had wanted Eva Cassidy’s haunting version of “Fields of Gold” to be played at the start of the service. When I asked her what other…
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Misunderstanding Medicine… Lynn’s Legacy and Her Final Wish

PART 2 ARTICLE 1 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ In 1999, my friend Lynn was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a diagnosis that turned her world upside down. Yet, Lynn, with her iron will and determination, faced this illness just as she had faced life: head-on. She embodied a strong, unwavering personality and was always in…
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Accepting Mortality… Insights from a Haunting Blue Cave in Croatia

PART 1 ARTICLE 15 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ Amid a diagnosis of autoimmune disease—an unexpected complication tied to the lingering impacts of COVID 19 — I find myself drawn to the memory of a hauntingly beautiful blue cave in Croatia. Unclear as to what I might discover on this mysterious journey, I have concerns,…
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Lost… Grace in Adversity – Embracing Spontaneous Contemplative Experiences

PART 1 ARTICLE 14 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ When life hands us a profound loss — be it illness, divorce, death, or the suffering of a loved one — we can find ourselves feeling completely unmoored. This is not like getting lost on a familiar route; it’s as if our entire world has been…
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Life Goes On as a Young Mother Dies… A Tribute to Lindsey

PART 1 ARTICLE 13 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ For three days, I have struggled to find the right words following the funeral of Lindsey, the 30-year-old daughter of my dear friend, Jen. Lindsey’s death from breast cancer has left Jen bearing an unimaginable grief — the loss of her baby girl. Breast cancer is…
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A Soulmate and the Healing Power of Unconditional Love… My One True Friend

PART 1 ARTICLE 10 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ I hope this piece evokes memories of someone who offered you unconditional love, a true friend who became a hero in your life, shaping who you are today. Reflecting on such a person fills the heart with peace and affirms the incredible healing power of human…
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Love and Connection at the End of Life… Older Sister

PART 1 ARTICLE 8 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ Nearly 20 years ago, I witnessed my father in the last chapter of his life, finding comfort only in his recliner each night. Watching him, I marveled at the realities of aging — the ways our bodies, worn down by aches, pains, and breathing troubles, change…
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Human Bodies and Inner Wisdom… Who are we, really?

PART 1 ARTICLE 2 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ The human body is a marvel beyond imagination. With eyes that see, ears that hear, legs that carry us, and lungs that take in refreshing breaths, the body’s functions are astounding. Eating and drinking nourish and bring daily joy, while the heart tirelessly pumps oxygen to…
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Introduction to Life, Death, Love, Loss, and a Raucous Good Time

PART 1 ARTICLE 1 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫ Lessons Learned from Life as It Is, Not as We Wish It Would Be We all wish for lives of boundless joy, devoid of suffering, filled only with love and light. But life, in truth, encompasses death, love, loss, and every shade in between. Tragedy strikes…
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