Author Archives: Rachel Jones (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“Leave a Light On” by Tom Walker

Song comforts those suffering from addiction, depression or grief
Posted on September 19, 2023 by Rachel Jones (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

Scottish singer-songwriter Tom Walker’s 2017 song, “Leave a Light On,” is a powerful reminder that there are people out there who care. Anyone grappling with grief, addiction, or mental health issues will take comfort in the chorus’s repeated assurance that … Continue reading →

Posted in Expressive Music | Leave a comment

A Barbie Girl in a Deathless World Meets the Patriarchy

Greta Gerwig's feminist film highlights the fallout of a cultural avoidance of death
Posted on August 27, 2023 by Rachel Jones (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

Even if people haven’t yet seen “Barbie” — Director Greta Gerwig’s fuchsia-colored smash summer hit – they’re likely to have watched the trailer, in which Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, brings her house party to a record-scratching halt with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Perspectives | Leave a comment

Exploring the Drug Problem No One Talks About: Overprescribing to the Elderly

How polypharmacy endangers older adults
Posted on August 15, 2023 by Rachel Jones (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

As U.S. adults live longer, and with more chronic conditions, they are consuming increasingly large numbers of pills – a situation known as “polypharmacy.” But taking multiple medications can put patients at risk for adverse reactions – not to mention … Continue reading →

Posted in Something Special | Leave a comment

“Beloved Wife” by Natalie Merchant

Moving song mourns the devastating loss of a lifelong love to death
Posted on July 13, 2023 by Rachel Jones (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

The lilting melodies and plaintive lyrics of American singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant’s debut solo album, Tigerlily, have made it a classic since its 1995 release. Yet despite the chart-topping success of “Jealousy,” “Carnival” and “Wonder,” it is perhaps “Beloved Wife” that … Continue reading →

Posted in Expressive Music | Leave a comment

“Living in the Light of Death” by Larry Rosenberg (with David Guy)

A Buddhist practitioner explores how contemplating our deaths can change our lives
Posted on July 2, 2023 by Rachel Jones (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

In “Living in the Light of Death: On the Art of Being Truly Alive,” author Larry Rosenberg asks what the inevitable process of aging and death can teach us about how to live our lives now – in the present … Continue reading →

Posted in Lending Insight | 2 Comments

Ten Quotes About Moving On From Loss

From Theodor Seuss Geisel to Kenji Miyazawa, great thinkers offer solace in grief
Posted on June 18, 2023 by Rachel Jones (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

When one experiences a death — whether that of a friend, lover, parent, child or beloved pet — there are no words to describe or mitigate the grief. Well-meaning people can try to fix or change their grieving loved ones, … Continue reading →

Posted in A Rite of Passage | Leave a comment