04/08/2026
It really truly is an honour that folks trust me with this grounded leadership in some of the most painful and vulnerable times of their lives.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to live out my calling and vocation in this way. 🌀✨
On Easter Weekend I met two incredible families...both losing someone to cancer long before they were ready to leave this Earth. Gone too soon and:
Right as the much anticipated life of retirement was beginning or about to begin. 💔🥺
At Monday's service that family in particular hit home more than others.
The Mom was just a couple years older than my parents. Married to her husband 48 years.
Three kind, humble, and beautiful kids who chose truly wonderful partners who are all such good friends and they look out for each other and are tight knit
Four grandkids all under the age of 4.
One of the kids is even a ginger.
I was standing in front of my own family it seemed. I just wanted to hug them all as if they were my own because it really felt like a mirror of my own tight knit family of origin.
The spiritual practice of Lent often makes me in an extra reflective space and a time of growth.
As Holy Week approached I had an ah-ha moment/breakthrough or in my world:
an Epiphany.
For years I've wondered how people can possibly have such a positive impact on my life while sitting in the darkness of their deepest most surreal pain.
Losing a spouse or partner, a sibling, favourite Aunt or beloved friend. The loss of a parent or a child, saying goodbye to Grandpa, and the list goes on.
How could I leave an intake call preparing the memorial service feeling impacted by the person who passed?
How can this be when more often than not I wasn't fortunate enough to meet the person we are celebrating and grieving?
And how could their beloved people who are in deep mourning make me delight in them, too?
My epiphany:
🌀✨It's because of the love. ✨🌀
----------------------
This particular Mom I'll call B.
And she was so loved by her husband, her daughters and sons, and bonus daughter and bonus sons in her kids spouses. Her grandkids got to experience her spoiling them with her playfulness, handmade outfits as a gifted sewer. On her last days she was giving strict instructions on what to get and how to wrap the Easter presents for her grands.
Like many mothers do (not me though,,,) B had the gift of hospitality and her close knit family found themselves gathering often and in joy around the table of their Mama's incredible cooking.
All 3 of her kids said she was their best friend and I just know they were hers too.
Her husband absolutely adored her and she loved him just as fiercely and gently and for a lifetime.
And so when I do those intake calls and ask about travel adventures that stand out, special family memories that become legends (as my own mom would say), and I ask about favourite meals, hobbies, tv series they enjoyed or what hockey team they cheered for...
I leave delighted.
A stranger up until then, I..the friendly neighbourhood Funeral Officiant leave the conversation and the memorial on the receiving end of a heart print. 🫶
And again I say it's because of the love.
The way I feel like I know the person who passed and can tangibly see the ripple effects of how they CHOSE to live, love, parent and ✨ be ✨in this world.
The way their closest circle deeply mourns but also celebrates and laugh and find the courage to get up in front of a crowd and through tears tell their favourite stories of someone so very special and dear to them.
Grief is the price of love and love always, always ALWAYS wins in the end.
🖤💜Love conquers death. 💜🖤
Love lives in memories and in the little things that were actually big things.
Life ends but love never dies.
And love will save the day.
Be well dear ones and be good to each other.
🫶🌀We are all just walking each other home.🌀🫶
