“Over the Rainbow” by Harold Arlen and E.Y. “Yip” Harburg

Reaching “Over the Rainbow” to process grief and find hope in your journey.

 

field with a rainbow for the song somewhere over the rainbow a popular memorial songAlthough Judy Garland’s role in The Wizard of Oz popularized “Over the Rainbow,” frequently referred to as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” the song has more depth than meets the eye.

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Posted in Expressive Music | 1 Comment



Final Messages of the Dying

Finding meaning in metaphors and symbolic language

Join SevenPonds each month as Tani Bahti, RN, CT, CHPN, offers practical on-hand guidance to demystify the dying process. As an RN since 1976, Tani has been working to empower families and healthcare professionals to have the best end-of-life experience possible both through education and the development of helpful tools and resources. The current Director of Pathways, Tani is also the author of “Dying to Know, Straight talk about Death and Dying,” considered by SevenPonds as one of the most practical books on the topic. Founder Suzette Sherman says this is “the book I will have at the bedside of my dying parents some day, hopefully a very long time from now.” Continue reading

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Our Monthly Tip: Bring Love Into Your Celebration of Life With a Valentine-Inspired Theme

Use symbols of love to create the perfect celebration that honors your loved one

pink roses with an invitation to a celebration of life Our Monthly Tip:

For many people, February is closely associated with Valentine’s Day, a holiday devoted to love. Love takes many forms, changing and adapting over the course of our lives – and beyond life itself. You can incorporate Valentine’s Day themes into a celebration of life by honoring the different ways you loved your person.

The following ideas can include a heartfelt, authentic Valentine’s Day theme while focusing on your loved one.

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A Quote On Missing a Friend, Saint Augustine

A heart shaped by longing
An image of a heart in pink and red made of flowers with a sweet saying for valentine's day

Credit: Handmade heart by SevenPonds

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Posted in A Rite of Passage | Leave a comment

Amy’s Choice

How My Family Honored My Sister’s Wish to Die at Home

This is the story of Amy, written by her brother, Robert Lind. Our Opening Our Hearts series is based on real-life experiences. By sharing these stories publicly, we hope to help readers feel less alone in their grief and, ultimately, support them in their healing process. In this post, Robert reflects on losing his sister to breast cancer and how his family came together to create a spontaneous home funeral.

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“Field of Dreams” by Phil Alden Robinson

The iconic baseball movie touches upon unique ideas about the afterlife.
Kevin Costner stands in the forefront of the movie poster for Field of Dreams, against a backdrop of a baseball diamond and a row of corn stalks

The Field of Dreams theatrical release poster, by Mick McGinty
Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Field of Dreams,” the sports fantasy film directed by Phil Alden Robinson might not be explicitly about death, but it certainly presents an inspiring perspective on it. 

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