Picture this: a sunlit
room, 8-10 chairs around small
conference tables, the scent of coffee wafting from a corner, 40 people talking
in small groups, and the topic of the day is – death.
This was a recent experience. I attended a Death Café in a room within a
museum. I went by myself and sat with 7
strangers. Each group had a facilitator. We talked for 90 minutes about grief, death
rituals, afterlife (yay or nay). The
object was to listen, to be open and nonjudgmental, and to be willing to
express fears and sadness. The result of
the afternoon was insight and calm. We
were of different age and social
economic levels and probably religions though we didn’t discuss this. Though the subject was death, it was an
uplifting afternoon.
There are Death Cafes being held all over the world. All it takes to create one is a room, some
coffee and sweets and the courage to discuss the topic. The phenomenon started in the UK in
2011. Cafes have been held in 51
countries and I would like to have one in my community. The first step is to write a proposal to the
library to ask for a free room. Then I
will advertise and see what happens. The
guideline states the event is to be free to the public and that there needs to
be coffee or tea and cake!
Some people have asked me why I seem to be fixated on
death. While I think I have a well-balanced
life—family, friends, recreation and learning, I think, as I have gotten older,
I am more acutely aware of the finality of life. Rather than running from that thought, I am
embracing it and trying to make the most of the life I have as I appreciate
there will be death which is inevitable.
Check out deathcafe.com for more info.
Let me know your thoughts…….
