The One Year Milestone Approaches…

Marc & Bri Brownlow, October 2006
Marc & Bri Brownlow, October 2006

BIRTHS, GRADUATIONS, WEDDINGS, and DEATHS are family affairs. Our American culture, generally speaking, has a weird relationship with death. We deny it. Live like we’ll never die. Admire youthfulness and sexiness decades past when other fine attributes should gain importance… On a whole, we avoid discussing the subject at all costs.

When someone close to us ~ a friend or family member ~ dies, common rituals are so far removed from the person’s everyday lives and our relationship with them that most people end up feeling confused, estranged, out-of-place, out-of-touch, isolated, alone in their grieving process, unable to speak or participate in meaningful rituals, or spontaneous commemorative gestures.

After Bri died, Marc and our family decided to forgo conventional death arrangements. You may read about the spontaneous, intimate family-directed home funeral we decided to do for a small gathering of family & friends to honor Bri’s life. The article is on Cynthe’s other blog: EssentialOilsForHealing.

I also have added a resource page on FigsWithBri about two innovative Cancer Clinics. Both clinics are having amazing successes ~ truly remarkable results ~ with their clientele….most of whom come to them with different types of advanced, stage 4 (terminal) cancers…AFTER all other protocols have failed or become intolerable. I am impressed ~ and inspired ~ with the health-supporting therapies these compassionate physicians are offering their cancer patients.

And, finally, I have added my personal tribute to Bri: The Art of Gratitude, (PDF format for download) which I shared at our December 2008 memorial celebration of her life. It discusses the lessons Bri taught me in the last six months of her life through the gift of being her daytime caregiver.

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