(Originally published on the WOW: Women's Older Wisdom blog) One of the ongoing entries in my Death Journal has been my “Happiness Is” list. When I revisit this particular section, I see evidence of numerous additions. There are different inks, and my handwriting varies as well. Some of the initial entries are large as though… Continue reading Happiness Is…
Before becoming a speaker and author, I’m not sure I really understood what an act of courage it is to share what you create. Public speaking is gravely feared, and it makes good sense! When we stand up in front of people and verbalize what’s on our hearts and minds (hoping it might be useful… Continue reading Vulnerability and Courage
The month of May offers much in the way of remembrance and renewal. We have an annual, communal time of mourning with the passing of Memorial Day, and it's also nature's season of rebirth in the Northeast. In my "collector's gardens," as I call them, I find both loss and life emerging simultaneously. Right around… Continue reading Memorializing
Reflecting back, turning inward, and planning ahead As a doula, I have held space at both ends of life. Just as my own pregnancies and labors originally inspired my birth work, a series of personal losses inspired my interest in deathcare. Both thresholds beckon a similar presence—one that is centered, calming, and reassuring. When caring… Continue reading Healthy Preparedness
Publishing a book is an UNDERTAKING. What goes into it? Heaps of inspiration, ideas, stories, research, and time, plus some grit. As I near the final stretch of my new book's gestation, I'm looking back on the journey... Before this book came to be, there were serendipitous experiences that led to the "right time, right… Continue reading Creating “The Death Doula’s Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared”: From Invitation to Publication
Francesca Lynn Arnoldy 