Gotcha4Life is a great network for men to help each other cope when grief strikes – and to help build resilience before it does. It’s also a heck of a lot of FUN. To see all the community events that you can be part of this year go to the … Read more
That’s a full stop – a red stop sign with angled corners and a white line around it. Resting here, my knees have buckled, in front of that sign you planted in my path. I have walked this space so confidently, happy to share what I know, to muck in. … Read more
Singapore broadcaster Jason Dasey and author Neil Humphreys have something in common that’s not all that unusual. As Jason explained when opening our interview on Singapore’s Money FM program on Saturday: “Both of us (Jason and Neil) have been affected by sudden death in our own families.” The week before … Read more
It’s been quiet around here for a little while because I’ve been working on an exciting project with Murdoch Books. Murdoch Books will be publishing my life affirming book about death in 2019. We agree that dying well is part of the brand’s mission to help people ‘live life well’. … Read more
Could an end of life doula, or amicus mortis help to midwife your death? ‘Doula’ is a Greek word for a woman who gives support, help, and advice to another woman during pregnancy and during and after birth. The word has now spread to cover the same style of care for someone who is dying.
Other expressions which cover support at the end of life are “midwife to the dying” and the Latin term “amicus mortis”, the friend of the dying.
My colleague and neighbour Andrew Casey was buried today, after a beautiful Jewish funeral service. His brother John observed that he still had his mop of rich brown hair – but lamented that he wished Andrew had lived long enough to go grey. Simple wisdoms flowed from the Old Testament, … Read more
Hello everyone and welcome to Good Grief! 2018. After a beautiful holiday, starting with family – including two lively little grandsons – on the NSW south coast and then a cycle ride through New Zealand’s south island I’m back and excited about all the conversations and ideas that I’ll … Read more
Introducing Doris Zagdanski, who works with one of the largest funeral providers in Australia. She is also the author of many books about grief. Doris is currently giving a lot of thought to that most difficult of times – when the funeral is over. “After the funeral we shut the … Read more
A book by Su-Rose McIntyre Su-Rose says: “I began my grief journey eight years ago with the unexpected death of my only child and son, Carl – a beautiful young man, loved by many. His loss left me feeling bereft and fearful about what lay ahead…No day was ever the … Read more
Had coffee with social commentator Andrew Denton on the weekend to discuss the good death. We disagree on a lot of things – quite fiercely – and at times the argument got very heated. But he said something beautiful, which I do agree with. “If depression is a black dog, … Read more
A friend on the other side of the world is grieving today because her father has died. When I go to pick up the phone it is her night time; our dark and light are not in sync. So no words seem quite right just now. Instead, just thoughts…… Megan … Read more
Traecey was in a car accident when she was in her early twenties and nearly died. She spent many long days in the intensive care unit, fighting for her life. One day Traecey was unconscious and delirious. She told her mother, Pat that her Auntie Bonnie had been to visit. … Read more
We said farewell to my lovely cousin Kim this week, a beautiful woman and another cousin who died too young. Cousins are the first friends we have as children, they are different yet familiar. With them we have our early experiences of comfortably moving into someone else’s life, then slipping quickly … Read more
“Now tough blokes like us don’t have to worry about grief because we just get on with it, right?” Anthony suggested, to nods from thirty other men huddled in the man cave. Wrong. (We weren’t exactly huddled, either. It was a balmy Sydney evening and the men were sitting … Read more