Tom's House

02/05/2026

To Jennifer S Levine and ÓðinnAnu Järl Ramirez
Thank you for standing on the threshold (every form of threshold) of Tom’s House; for being its witness and biggest supporters. Your friendship and support means the world.

01/16/2026

Dead Parent Club
Stages of Grief

01/13/2026

In December of 2017, I bought a tiny Norfolk Pine. It was covered in glitter and adorned with tiny ornaments. Its mission was to bring Christmas into my Dad’s room while he was in hospice. I feel it fulfilled its mission and so much more.
I brought this tiny tree home with me after my Dad died. It has grown 6 or more inches 🤷🏼‍♀️ and in my heart I believe it captured a tiny piece of my Dad’s essence when he crossed the veil. It was a foot away from his head when he took his last breath.
The now medium smallish tree is revered in our home. It holds a space above us and looks down upon our lives. It is a witness to every holiday meal and all of the little moments in between.
Today, it’s been 8 years since my Dad left us to fly among the stars. This magical tree reminds me to be grateful for all of the moments we share with the ones we love. It also shows me how love can carry on inside the boughs of a tiny tree.

🖤Thomas Kent Lynch🖤
5/19/51-1/12/2018

01/11/2026

💜

If I should leave without saying good bye
Please know that it was not by choice,
There was another plan for me,
And it was my time to go .

If I should leave quietly, without notice,
Please be aware that my journey will continue
And that I am free of suffering and pain
I continue to exist, but in a different form.

If you happen to notice my absence
I urge you to search a little deeper for my presence,
and feel assured that I never really left you .
And I continue to be there, right by your side.

And if you ever feel bereft and lonely
I hope you know that love never dies
And no matter how much time passes
There will come a time when we meet again .

Until then, be patient..
And remember
Love is eternal...

🖋️C.E. Coombes
🎨Credit to unknown artist

Serendipity Corner 🪽

01/03/2026

💗

"Nothing you love is lost. Not really. Things, people—they always go away, sooner or later. You can’t hold them, any more than you can hold moonlight. But if they’ve touched you, if they’re inside you, then they’re still yours. The only things you ever really have are the ones you hold inside your heart."
Bruce Coville - Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

Artist: Daniela Drescher

Paired by Whispers from the Heart

11/10/2025

🌌
⭐️ 💫 ⭐️

I Will Forever Whisper Your Name to the Night Sky

I will forever whisper your name
to the night sky,
as if the stars themselves might carry it
to where you are.

Each syllable a tremor,
each breath a bridge
between this trembling earth
and a world beyond my reach.

I wait for the wind’s reply,
a soft stirring in the dark,
the kind of silence
that feels like an answer.

You are gone,
yet the air still knows your shape,
the world still bends
around the space you left behind.

Because some loves
do not end.
They linger tenderly
in the spaces between heartbeats.

And I,
I will forever whisper your name
to the night sky,
and know
you will whisper back.

~ 'I Will Forever Whisper Your Name to the Night Sky' by Spirit of a Hippie

✍️ Mary Anne Byrne

~ Art by Jungsuk Lee

09/03/2025

🖤

08/31/2025

We are each other’s keepers. 🖤
Take care of your neighbors and friends.

07/24/2025

This is SO cool! 🍄

The first U.S. burial using a biodegradable mushroom coffin has taken place in Maine. The eco-friendly casket, called the Living Cocoon, is made from mycelium and was developed by Dutch company Loop Biotech. It naturally breaks down in about 45 days and enriches the soil. Mark Ancker was laid to rest in the mycelium coffin on his family’s land, honoring his wish for a natural burial. Instead of a headstone, his family planted a flower garden. This marks Loop Biotech’s U.S. debut after thousands of similar burials in Europe, reflecting the growing trend of sustainable end-of-life practices.

07/16/2025

Hospice Heroes!

In an effort to help open access to equitable, inclusive end-of-life care to underserved populations, the National Alliance for Care at Home has published a research report identifying pathways for achieving deathcare equity.

The study of 2,000 people includes insights on supporting LGBTQIA2S+ communities and rural patients, as well as Asian American, Black, and Hispanic populations. The alliance developed a framework of principles—communication, outcomes, network, nurture, engagement, collaboration, and transparency, or CONNECT— to help care providers bolster support.

“Engaging with community and faith-based organizations, providing culturally sensitive education, and fostering active participation from patients and caregivers are important steps toward developing inclusive and comprehensive hospice care services that effectively meet the unique needs of all patients and their families," shares India Harris-Jones, manager of health equity and diversity at the alliance.

Read more findings and a link to the report at our link https://inelda.org/news-briefs-june-2025/ #1

07/07/2025

07/02/2025

This blog is just Wow. 🖤

"This is the moment that shook me and awakened me to my own sacred journey. At the core of this journey was acceptance that my partner of 16 years would soon be leaving his body." - Yve

Yve is an INELDA-trained Doula and you can read her blog at www.mysoulride.com

Since the invention of photography, there has been a long history of images celebrating the dying and the dead starting with Victorian death photography. is a project at INELDA to share our photos and sentiments in the moments of death and dying. INELDA's mission includes normalizing death, dying and grief.
We are grateful for the fact that wherever these images land for you, that the responses are with deep respect and gratitude for the person who chooses to share.
If you have a photo or a moment to share please email membership@inelda.org