Skip month: taking a breath

Equinox sunrise through the cherry blossoms

We recently started a series of stories about the life and death of my dear friend Brooke Neal, and last month I shared a visit between Brooke and her dear friend Janet Schaefer, from late 2021.

Shortly after that post, Janet’s husband Eric texted me that Janet was dying, which was both a surprise and not a surprise. She was on hospice since the start of this year, and although she was relatively stable, we knew that decline might come anytime.

I was able to say goodbye to Janet on the day she died, and I’m considering whether and how to share that story here, on the next full moon.

Between now and then, taking a breath. At Janet’s memorial, Eric reminded us of one of the meditations Janet appreciated, breathing in another’s suffering, breathing out tranquility.

With the intensity of this newsletter’s subject matter, these breaks can be nice check-ins, in case you wanted a moment to catch up, or even to unsubscribe. I welcome any feedback, especially about what you have appreciated or what you would like to see more of.

I also encourage you to share this newsletter with anyone you may feel called to share it with, as we weave death’s reality into our culture, crossing the barrier between the living and the dying. New and old folks can see previous posts and subscribe at story.compostmodernist.org.

Brooke puts an arm around Janet as Janet tries to smile without revealing her teeth

Encounter with an Ancestor: Funeral Songs

Janet Schaefer is one of the first friends I made after moving to Greensboro in 2020. Introduced by a mutual connection, she and her husband Eric opened up their home and lives to me, about 45 minutes north of town. When I told Janet what neighborhood I’d moved into,

17-pound Sweetie Boy the cat is sprawled out on Brooke's lap, her hand stroking the fur on his chest while he stretches his legs in both directions

Encounter with an Ancestor: Introducing Brooke

Recently this back-and-forth came to me, the two lines of which read like a poem: How do we care for a dying generation? One person at a time, kind of. The generation is the Baby Boomers, the eldest of whom have reached their life expectancy. Herds of elephants in many

Sitting in a gondola, Granddad reviews a photo on his digital camera while Grandmom rests a hand on his shoulder and looks out over the trees

Encounter with an Ancestor: Orville Rogers

According to Granddad’s memoir, his own Granddad “cast a dark cloud over those around him,” and his home was accordingly cold. Granddad’s Dad had walked out when Granddad was barely old enough to remember, and he was raised by his mother and her parents in Oklahoma. He was

Skip Month: Sleeping and Dreaming

When I committed to sending a story on nine of each year’s full moons, rather than all twelve (some years 13), my body relaxed. This allows me to rest during winter! Alongside resting, I’ve been churning out the current season of Oregano Shirt Podcast, “Bro Connections,” with each

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Encounter with an Ancestor: Funeral Songs

Encounter with an Ancestor: Introducing Brooke

Encounter with an Ancestor: Orville Rogers

Skip Month: Sleeping and Dreaming