The Tall Pine: Paul Donne - Funeral Celebrant

24/01/2026

So true...I couldn't put the feeling of that one monumental loss into better words 🩷

I still look for you
in the deepest crevices
of my heart ..
And there you are,
Forever young,
Cocooned in my memories.
Your laughter echoing
like chimes.
Your smile radiating
like sunshine.
Your voice as calming
as a gentle hug.
Your heart full of hope.

I carry on
From day to day
But it's never too long,
Before I come looking
for you again.
Your physical absence
is a searing pain.
My arms are empty
But my heart is full.
Each crack filled with you .
You are a part of me
connected forever
by love
The love of a mother
to her son ...

🖋️C.E. Coombes
🎨Art sourced via Pinterest

Serendipity Corner 🪽

23/01/2026

Another lovely visit to Oak Hill Crematorium in Hatfield, which is part of this tranquil cemetery. An hour to go before my lunchtime Funeral fills this peaceful space.

I am truly grateful to lead some of my services at such beautiful venues. 💙🖤💙

14/01/2026

Some thoughts on this Wednesday afternoon for everyone navigating the loss of someone (or something) important to them.

Grieving a loss takes many forms, from the loss of treasured pets, to the loss something you enjoyed in the past - perhaps working relationships or special places that now also seem a distant memory.

Depending on our lifes' journey, these unique losses affect us in different ways, and there is validity in all that we feel.

There is also some shared commonality in everyone's journey through grief. But there should never be any rush, nor an expectation to simply 'get over it'.

Sometimes, all we need is simply the space to hold everything we can't yet find the words for, or just for the tears to flow.

12/01/2026

Just before leading a beautiful Funeral for a lady whose husband I looked after here 4 and a half years ago.

Patrick, the very tame Peacock, was quite happy to observe whilst sitting on the fence by the memorial garden, just round the back of the lovely Gathering Hall. 🌳🌲

24/12/2025

A friend shared this poem earlier today, and whilst I don't know who wrote it, it really resonated me.

It also guided my thoughts to all the wonderful families I have helped through saying a final farewell to their loved one(s) this year, and their first Christmas without them.

My thoughts are with all the families I've journeyed alongside over the last 8 years. There is no time limit to grief, no matter what people might say.

Go gently, and I wish you all a peaceful Christmas. 🎄💖

********

“When Christmas Finds You Anyway”

Some years,
Christmas doesn’t look the way you pictured.
The house is quieter,
the table feels smaller,
and life has written chapters
you never meant to read.

But somehow…
Christmas finds you anyway.

It slips in through the soft glow of the tree,
through the smell of something warm in the oven,
through a memory that catches you off guard
and makes your eyes fill with tears.

It finds you in the people who stayed,
in the strength you didn’t know you had,
in the way your heart keeps learning
how to break
and still stay open.

It finds you in the simple things—
a mug in your hands,
a blanket over your knees,
a song you haven’t heard in years
that somehow knows your whole story.

Because Christmas isn’t always loud
or glittery
or full.

Sometimes it’s gentle.
Sometimes it’s healing.
Sometimes it’s a light
that shows up right when you needed reminding
that you’re not walking this season alone.

So if this year looks different…
If you’re grieving,
or rebuilding,
or learning how to begin again—
I hope Christmas finds you anyway.

And I hope it brings peace
to the places that still hurt,
and warmth
to the places that feel cold.

22/12/2025

A lovely drive out to Hatfield in Hertfordshire, this morning to lead a service at beautiful Oak Hill Crematorium.

Once again, superb support from the lovely staff here as I looked after a family who I last helped 8 months ago. ❤️

01/12/2025

A lovely gentle service at GreenAcres Epping Park earlier this afternoon, for a.much-loved lady. 🍀 ☘️

May the road rise to meet you;
May the wind always be at your back;
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
May the rain fall softly upon your fields;
And, until we meet again...
May Nature hold you in the palm of her hand.

07/11/2025

Yesterday afternoon at Forest Park, I led a beautiful Funeral for a wonderful gentleman of 90 who lived a long, successful life guided by that simple, timeless motto: 'Always treat others how you would wish to be treated yourself'.

Today, I received two separate e-mails of thanks from his lovely family:

'Hi Paul,

Thank you so much for everything that you did yesterday for me and my family. Your organisation and reading of the tributes was so professionally done. You are an exceptional person to be able to talk about our personal memories in such a caring way. You are providing a special service at a time when people are finding it hard to come to terms with their loss. Thank you again, John.'

'Evening Paul,

Just reflecting on yesterday, a massive big 'thank you'. Everyone mentioned how beautiful the service was and how wonderful you were. You will be highly recommended by us in the future. I wish you a lovely weekend Paul and thank you from the bottom of my heart for making our day so special. Love, Jan xx'

How lucky am I? 🥰

22/10/2025

A lovely celebration of life service for a near life-long Arsenal fan on my 12:00 service this afternoon. With the entry music of Louis Dunsford's 'The Angel' (North London Forever) the service was studded with some light-hearted football banter, witty Arsenal references, and more music associated to the team.

Dunmow Cremaatorium was, as always, looking nothing short of perfect, surrounded by rolling fields that stretch for miles.

Huge thanks to Liz and Molly there for their superb ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ support and attention to detail.

21/08/2025

A lovely sunny afternoon at GreenAcres Living Memorial Parks in Epping where I led the ceremony (with a few dashes of Greek) for a family saying a final farewell to their special Greek Cypriot gentleman. 🇬🇷 🇨🇾

No black today, and Patrick Peacock was gently following us around to ensure the preparations before we began were all to his satisfaction. ✅️

Patrick is really tame and we also fed him before the service.

18/08/2025

The sun may have decided to hide behind the clouds today, but it didn't stop the wall of colourful petunias lining the driveway from making an impression as I drove in to South Essex Crematorium. 🪷🌺💐

With a bit of time to spare until my late afternoon service, I took a couple of pictures before reading through my words over a nice coffee. ☕️

06/06/2025

Today's brief was a colourful one with a ceremony at St. Marylebone for a flamboyant antiques dealer.