“It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like […]
What Happens When We Die?
“There once was a girl who found herself dead. She peered over the ledge of heaven and saw that back on earth her sister missed her too much, was way too sad, so she crossed some paths that would not have crossed, took some moments in her hand shook them up and spilled them like […]
Supporting Your Loved One at the End Stage of Life
“And then we ease him out of that worn-out body with a kiss, and he’s gone like a whisper, the easiest breath.” ~ Mark Doty Welcome to the second post in my Wednesday series on death and dying. Today I’d like to talk about the end stage of life, and what you might expect […]
A Short Blog Series on Death and Dying
“I’ve been making a list of the things they don’t teach you at school. They don’t teach you how to love somebody. They don’t teach you how to be famous. They don’t teach you how to be rich or how to be poor. They don’t teach you how to walk away from someone you don’t […]
Being Held By The Universe
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. […]
For Angela, On Your Last Morning
“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.” ~ Helen Keller Good Morning, Darling Friend. My first thought this morning is of you, on this, your last morning. As I lay in my soft bed, in my still-dark room, I thought of how I left you last […]
The Girl who sees Angels
“For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you carefully.” ~ Luke 4:10 *Note: Names have been changed to protect the identity of those involved I received an email from a young friend yesterday. It was a simple note, and this is what it said; Dear Nicole, I can still see […]
Smoke Alarms and Lost Souls
My soul is full of whispered song; My blindness is my sight; The shadows that I feared so long Are all alive with light. ~Alice Cary, Dying Hymn *Names have been changed in the following story to protect the identity of those involved. A few weeks ago I went to bed early, and fell into […]
Premonitions, Traffic Jams and Prayers
Recently I was driving from my farm back to Brisbane, a two hour drive – mostly along a highway – so that I could begin a stretch of work. The trip started well. I made good time, it was a beautiful day, and I was enjoying some music, singing along as I drove. The first […]
The Power of a Father’s Love
“Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third.” ~ Marge Piercy One night, in the middle of 2010, I was on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. It was late, and we had been asleep for some hours. The room phone rang, waking us up. When I answered […]