The Silence is Deafening
Note from Editor: Carolyn Rhodes was in the process of writing her “My Third Act” story for this issue when she lost...
When Life Happens
Finding serenity when change knocks us off course In 2016, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. I’d always said that...
Earthly Remains
Making a will was easy. But deciding about my earthly remains, well … Perhaps it was the almost unending threat of contracting...
Finding Nell; Living and Loving a Spouse with Alzheimer’s
When my wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2013, almost everything I read painted a bleak picture of our life together...
Let Me Die—Knowing When it’s Time to Go and Let Go
I had just started my shift at the hospital when I was paged to the intensive care unit. As I stepped out of the elevator...
Advance Care Planning Leads to Better Peace of Mind
I’ve heard much talk about silver linings in this dark cloud we call the COVID-19 pandemic. Traffic is lighter, for instance,...
How to Eulogize Your Loved One
You’ve been tasked with eulogizing your loved one, and you have minimal time to prepare. In my work as a funeral celebrant,...
Over the Hump
Banjo and Tango are head-turners. When people drive by our farm, they slow down, loop around the block, pause in the driveway,...
7 Things I’ve Learned About Life from Death Care
“And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so? I did. And what did you want? To call myself beloved,...
Pay Attention: The art of living after diagnosis
Granddaddy taught me how to drive when I was only 12 years old. With a belly full of butterflies, I’d slide into the driver’s...