The holiday season is here, and for many people, it doesn’t at all feel like “the most wonderful time of the year”. Perhaps you lost a loved one over the…
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Every year we take the time to remember on Remembrance Day. We think about the many sacrifices made by our armed forces and those who love(d) them from World War…
This past weekend, many of us Canadians celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s a time when we get together with family or other loved ones. We eat turkey or ham… or…
When someone has a life-limiting illness, it is often a difficult transition to come to the place where they realize it’s time to consider hospice or palliative care options. We…
In our last article, we explored five conversation topics that are important to have with our aging parents. As a continuation of our series of discussions around caregivers, I wanted…
When you think about awkward conversations with your parents, your mind probably goes to those pre-adolescent years when they asked you if you knew about “the birds and the bees”. …
Photo by Andrei Barb After officiating well over 500 funerals over the past several years, I was delighted to be the Celebrant for my first wedding ceremony a couple weeks…
The human brain likes certainty and processes. And when it comes to moving through all of the emotions that come with the loss of a loved one, it’s no wonder…
Why would someone need a Funeral Celebrant? Let me begin with this: “Not religious? I know a minister down the road who will tone down the religion for you!” Many…
No matter the kind, grief is often an experience we wish we could press “fast forward” on. It reminds me of an experience I had a few years ago at…
“We decided to just go with cremation.” “We aren’t doing much. It’s just a graveside service.” I’ve heard these kinds of sentiments a lot over the years, and they have…
It used to be that when you heard the term “funeral songs”, you immediately thought about traditional or church music. Yes, songs like “Amazing Grace” on the organ or “Going…
So you’ve been asked to write a eulogy for a loved one’s funeral or memorial service, and the thoughts and feelings you have in that moment are no doubt endless….
We do it for weddings, career choices, vacations, graduations, when we become parents and many other major life events. We spend days, weeks and often months thinking about and planning…
Mortician. Undertaker. Thanatologist. Embalmer. Funeral Director. No matter what they were called in the past or present, you have to admit, it’s quite the unique job. But have you ever…
Do you have a bucket list? Last weekend, I re-watched the movie The Bucket List starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson who are terminally ill, both left with only six…
Let’s say a friend, a neighbour or a colleague has died, and you’re feeling compelled to reach out to their family. But so often there’s the question of what exactly…
Whether you call it a gathering, funeral, memorial, celebration of life or something else, it’s never too late to pay tribute to your loved one. You can honour their unique life and give all the many emotions that come with grief a place to be released.
