Author Archives: Colleen Ferguson (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“Green Grass” By Tom Waits

This tender love song captures the innate human desire to never be forgotten
Posted on March 4, 2020 by Colleen Ferguson (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

  Tom Waits is a genre all his own. He’s a theatrical storyteller, often humorous, sometimes absurd, and always as original as it gets. With a career spanning five decades and more than 16 studio albums, his sound is as … Continue reading →

Posted in Expressive Music | Leave a comment

“44 [167]” by Fernando Pessoa

This untitled piece of prose from Pessoa's "The Book of Disquiet" is an existential musing on grief, tedium and restlessness
Posted on February 17, 2020 by Colleen Ferguson (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

Fernando Pessoa was born in Lisbon in 1888 and died in 1935 still largely unknown, publishing just one book during his lifetime. Upon his death, more than 25,000 pages of written works were found in his belongings. And with them, … Continue reading →

Posted in The Next Chapter | Leave a comment

Early Palliative Care Linked to Higher Survival Rates for Those With Lung Cancer

Timing of palliative care treatment plays role in survival rates according to this 2019 study
Posted on February 14, 2020 by Colleen Ferguson (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 228,820 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed this year alone. And while the number of diagnoses and … Continue reading →

Posted in Something Special | Leave a comment

“Ocean Breathes Salty” By Modest Mouse Offers Comfort in the Face of Death, Even If Only for Skeptics

The 2004 Modest Mouse hit, "Ocean Breathes Salty," explores death and life with a punchy, otherworldly sound
Posted on February 4, 2020 by Colleen Ferguson (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

  Modest Mouse, an indie rock band that hails from the Northeast, built their 30-year career on a unique sound combining philosophical, often melancholy, lyricism with bendy guitar riffs, amazing bass lines, and the sometimes rasping, sometimes yelling, always compelling … Continue reading →

Posted in Expressive Music | 1 Comment

The Problems With Bereavement Leave in the United States

As the discussion of grief in the workplace enters the public conversation, some companies put more thought into their bereavement policies
Posted on January 24, 2020 by Colleen Ferguson (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

If you’ve ever experience acute grief, then you know how difficult it can be to get through daily tasks. The days following the death of a loved one are often described as a “brain fog,” and are sometimes a flurry … Continue reading →

Posted in Something Special | 2 Comments

“The thing to remember is that even if you can’t see the stars, they’re still there.”

- M.K. Czerwiec
Posted on December 26, 2019 by Colleen Ferguson (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)
Posted in A Rite of Passage | Leave a comment