Author Archives: Caitlin Manner (Blog Writer) SevenPonds

“Little Green” by Joni Mitchell

A song that will touch anyone who has lost or given up a child

Joni Mitchell, the accomplished artist, singer and songwriter, isn’t known for holding back when it comes to autobiographical work. Her album “Blue,” released in 1971, is a hauntingly beautiful example of the folk singer yearning to exorcize demons from a … Continue reading

Posted in Expressive Music | Leave a comment

Burial Pods Might Not Be as “Green” As You Think

The issues with this "ecologically friendly" alternative to traditional burials

The death care industry struggles with some problematic ecological issues. Traditional burial methods waste tons of valuable nonrenewable resources, deposit millions of tons of chemical and material pollution into the ecosystem, and graveyards problematically occupy arable tracts of land. One … Continue reading

Posted in Something Special | Leave a comment

“Mortality” by William Knox

Abraham Lincoln's favorite poem expresses how death is the great equalizer

Oh! why should the spirit of mortal be proud! Like a light-fleeting meteor, a fast-flitting cloud, A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave, He passeth from life to his rest in the grave. The leaves of the … Continue reading

Posted in The Next Chapter | Leave a comment

“Grief Sucks” and Experience Camps Help Grieving Teens Navigate Loss

More organizations are recognizing the need to give people dealing with loss a sense of community

Kennedy Murphy was only 5 years old when her father, Don Murphy, passed away from a heart attack. At the age of 7 she began attending an Experience Camp, a program developed by a national nonprofit to help grieving children … Continue reading

Posted in Something Special | Leave a comment

“Marjorie” by Taylor Swift

The superstar’s ode to her late grandmother is about living with – and grieving for – her legacy

Back in 2020, when Taylor Swift was churning out new material faster than Covid variants could emerge, she released “Evermore” as a sister album to “Folklore.” Together with collaborators Jack Antonoff and The National’s Aaron Dessner, Swift managed to create … Continue reading

Posted in Expressive Music | Leave a comment

Greeting Cards Are Getting Really Real, and We’re Here For It

How some greeting card companies have picked up on the trend of using dark humor to deal with death and illness

For a long time, if you wanted to send a card to someone who was sick, all the options were frustratingly optimistic. They would unfailingly offer wishes of “get better soon,” or “healing thoughts and prayers.” Those cards fit the … Continue reading

Posted in Something Special | Leave a comment