Not Your Average Death Blog
Ceremony Matters: A Listener’s Story of Saying Goodbye
Every so often, I hear from listeners who remind me exactly why I do this work. Last month, one person reached out with a story that is both heartbreaking and beautiful, an example of how knowledge, community, and conversation can transform the way we navigate loss.
At its core, this story isn’t just about a beloved pet. It’s about the power of ritual. When we create ceremony, whether formal or improvised, we give ourselves and those around us space to grieve, to remember, and to celebrate meaningfully.
Without ceremony, loss can feel flat, unfinished, or even silenced. But with it, grief is allowed to breathe. Even something as simple as painting rocks, tossing flowers, or telling stories becomes a way of saying: this life mattered, this love mattered.
What to Do with a Dead Body, Who’s in Charge, and Who Pays
When someone close to you dies, even if it’s expected, it knocks the wind out of you. You’re left juggling grief and logistics all at once.
This week, I spoke with funeral director Jamie Sarche to better understand what actually happens when someone dies.
What I Learned from Planning My Own Funeral
If you’ve ever wondered what’s really in an urn, whether cremation is actually “green,” or what happens when no one claims the ashes? You’re not alone. I’ve worked in trusts and estates for more than a decade, and even I didn’t know the full story behind funeral planning until recently.
That changed when I sat down with Jamie Sarche, Director of Pre-Arranged Funeral Planning at Feldman Mortuary in Denver, Colorado for Episode 13 of The Death Readiness Podcast - What You Need to Know About Embalming, Cremation, and Eco-Friendly Funerals. Jamie walked me through planning my own funeral. And I learned a lot.