Will I Die in Pain?

For patients living with a terminal illness, the fear of pain is very real
Posted on February 1, 2026 by Kathleen Clohessy Editor-in Chief/SevenPonds

Trees with pink blossoms signifying to not die in pain“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. “― Paulo Coelho

One of the greatest fears expressed by people who live with terminal illness is the fear of physical pain. Pain is a real component of many pathological processes: Advanced cancer and many neurological conditions, for example, often cause significant amounts of discomfort as people approach the end of life. Knowing this, many patients suffer greatly as they consider — all too often silently — the process by which their lives will end.

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Our Monthly Tip: A Heartwarming Gift for a Grieving Friend – The Memory Jar

Start the year with intention: Give a grieving friend a year of meaningful memories
Posted on January 30, 2026 by Maria Mocerino Magazine Writer
a mason jar with colorful notes as a great gift of handwritten memroies for a friend who suffered a lodss

Memories handwritten on colorful notes is a meaningful gift to kick off the new year.
Credit: kerensnursery.com

Our Tip of the Month:

The beginning of a new year often brings promise and hope. But for someone you love who is grieving, it can also feel heavy. They might need a little extra support to face the months ahead.

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Posted in Practical Tips | Leave a comment

Plane-Based Ash Scattering Takes Off with ‘Cremation Air’

Innovation in funeral services responds to soaring cremation rates with branded air scattering
Posted on January 27, 2026 by Ariana Barnes (Magazine Writer)
A plane that scatters ashes by the company Cremation Air a national service

A model of Cremation Air’s plane at a trade show. Credit: ConnectingDirectors, Cremation Air

Traditional funeral practices are evolving, particularly in recent years, as the culture surrounding death and memorialization has undergone significant shifts. One of the latest developments in the world of funeral and end-of-life care is the popularity of cremation over burial in countries such as the United States and England.

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“Love Letter from the Afterlife” by Andrea Gibson

The late poet pens an emotional letter from the perspective of a loved one who has died
Posted on January 24, 2026 by Ariana Barnes (Magazine Writer)

Credit: Andrea Gibson, Substack

My love, I was so wrong. Dying is the opposite of leaving. When I left my body, I did not go away. That portal of light was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I am more here than I ever was before. I am more with you than I ever could have imagined.

So begins Andrea Gibson’s “Love Letter from the Afterlife,” a poem that reads as a letter to a surviving loved one written by someone who has died.

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Posted in The Next Chapter | Leave a comment


Revisiting The American Way of Death: Jessica Mitford’s Exposé of the Funeral Industry

Re-reading Mitford’s classic on death, dignity and profiteering
Posted on January 22, 2026 by Maria Mocerino Magazine Writer

Book cover to the american way of death by jessica mitford - the iconic book exposing the funeral industry

Gleefully, Jessica Mitford exposes the funeral industry in The American Way of Death Revisited, a smart, biting work of book-length reportage. First published in 1963, she updated the text in 1996 shortly before her death, leaving readers with a final chapter on the growing movement to reclaim the care and burial of one’s own dead, followed by a state-by-state directory of nonprofit funeral and memorial societies.

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Her Death Was Imminent, But I Never Got To Say Goodbye

My mother's death taught me how to let go and honor her spirit
Posted on January 21, 2026 by Jeanette Summers (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

I’d often stay overnight and sleep beside her in her king-sized bed

This is the story of Paul as told to Jeanette Summers. Our “Opening Our Hearts” stories are based on people’s real-life experiences. By sharing these experiences publicly, we hope to help our readers feel less alone in their grief and, ultimately, to aid them in their healing process. In this post, Paul talks about losing his elderly mother, and never having an opportunity to say a proper goodbye.

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Posted in Opening our Hearts | Leave a comment