Kether Muse

Are you listening conservation organizations? Whe...

2010-02-16T16:50:56.561-08:00

Are you listening conservation organizations? When I worked for a company making calls for renewals to such organizations, what you enumerated was the number one reason for non-renewals. Unfortunately, this informatioan was not transmitted to them. People would say, "If you'd have called me before the glossies, I would have renewed!

....I don't mean to go on, but saving the disc...

2010-02-16T16:07:51.484-08:00

....I don't mean to go on, but saving the discussion of death until our loved ones are old would have done no good for my friend who died at 33.

Death is the only thing that stays beside us our whole life. It is our comfort and companion; our conscious and our caution. How is it we have decided never to befriend this partner?

Oh Nino, my siblings and I were so unconventional...

2010-02-16T16:03:46.057-08:00

Oh Nino, my siblings and I were so unconventionally raised, that when my momma died, we didn't have any traditions to follow. We made something up that involved eating and singing. I always knew my mom, but I never really knew Sandra.

A year later, I got the opportunity to sit with other people's mom's at the end of their lives and LISTEN to them tell their story. And I wrote. And listened. And wrote.... and learned that it is best to live as though I am living my final days.

We don't talk of death in this culture, as if by avoiding the discussion, death won't exist. Death is the compliment to life. It is a sacred part of our day-to-day. It is only frightening because it is kept in a dark closed closet under the stairs. Surely an apple doesn't nourish us while it is still on the tree...

What a fortunate moment you had with your momma. Do you talk about your final days with the people around you?

Good for you, Nino. My mom had everything set up ...

2010-02-15T21:34:05.677-08:00

Good for you, Nino.
My mom had everything set up with The Cremation Society of Idaho before she became ill. That helped quite a bit when she passed.
So, last fall I thought that I'd do the same thing. So I've been to the Cremation Society (on Overland Road) to pick up the paperwork so that it will be done ahead of time. I think that it will make it more simple. They will pick up my body if it's within 35 miles of Boise and take care of it and help out my family.
They even have cards to put on the fridge or in my wallet so that no one will have to look up their number.
It's something we all get to do, so it's not a bad idea to be able to talk about it. I've yet to write my obit. and am not certain that I will. hmmmm

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts. T...

2010-02-15T20:31:56.997-08:00

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts. They are all helpful to be in this matter. It's all new to me as we all have just one mother and they get old only once.. Many blessings.

Being with my mom while she went thru the death ga...

2010-02-15T10:53:48.411-08:00

Being with my mom while she went thru the death gate was an honor. She knew she was dying and made sure she thanked all of us (her daughters) seperately for what we had done for her. Each of us took our time apologizing for any wrong doings to her in our life together, and then thanking her for all her love and for being our mom. It was truly a privalidge to be with her during her passing. She didn't want a funeral. She wanted her ashes spread in the ocean. She didn't want any speeches at her memorial service, so we invited everyone at the condo to come and share food and individual stories about her. It was a peaceful and quiet time.
Watching her die and saying goodbye was by far the hardest part of the process for me. Once she passed, and her pain was gone, it was much easier to handle.
Amazing experience. Lots of love.
I found myself missing her this weekend. It was 7 mos on Friday when she passed.

It's a tough subject for sure! I'm struggl...

2010-02-15T09:48:59.952-08:00

It's a tough subject for sure! I'm struggling with this exact thing now- first the driving issue, then the end-of-life issues. My inquiry was not well received by half of my folks. The other half seems more willing to discuss. Good luck Nino! I try to remind myself to be fair, gentle and loving, even if I'm running into a brick wall.

At my mother's funeral, as her life stories we...

2010-02-15T07:57:28.189-08:00

At my mother's funeral, as her life stories were being told, I realized that most of the people in the room would not be at my future funeral. I am the youngest by a long shot and probably will have no living immediate family when I die to tell my stories. That is when I decided to write my own obituary or at least the pieces from my childhood in Iowa. Having moved West at age 21, most of my chosen family here would not know those stories so I preserved some of them on paper. Namaste

Kudos to you for having this conversation, Nino. ...

2010-02-15T07:05:17.609-08:00

Kudos to you for having this conversation, Nino. It's a discussion that happens far too infrequently. Mary and I often encounter situations wherein we get a call *after* circumstances have moved into crisis. The penalty in terms of emotional distress and bad planning are so high in comparison to the much lower discomfort of having the conversation early, when things can be agreed upon and planned in advance. You're doing it right, dude.

I do not think you are being pissy. I have always ...

2009-11-01T15:22:33.184-08:00

I do not think you are being pissy. I have always wondered about various earth friendly organziations enticing donators with gifts for contributing...it always made me leary too. If I am sending in $25 and they are sending me a canvas bag or windbreaker how does that help them. Unless of course they get those donated somehow but I don't think so. AND they really should think about the paper, ink and frequency of mailings.

Kudo's Kether. They are a truly despicable weapon...

2008-12-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

Kudo's Kether. They are a truly despicable weapon.

Kether, I agree with you. We have to be careful no...

2008-07-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

Kether, I agree with you. We have to be careful not to deify Obama. I am afraid that even with him in office, nothing much will change, because there are "powers that be" who are in "charge", and they own the election and anyone who sits in the White House. Obama cannot buck the system too much or he will not get elected. He is a politician after all, and they are the supreme game-players.

However,I will vote for him because he is the lesser of two evils.

Sigh...

Does it really matter very much who one votes for?...

2008-07-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

Does it really matter very much who one votes for? With the electoral college,my vote is counted as a stat.I don't have a representive going to D.C on my behalf.I'm voting for Nader.Good man.Only Free People Elect Their Leaders-Legalise The Popular Vote