2nd Alton Death Cafe
A write up of 2nd Alton Death Cafe
Twelve of us braved the extremely cold wintery conditions to attend the Death Cafe at the Allen Gallery in Alton. Apart from one attendee, it was a new experience for the others. From the feedback I received, all found it a really interesting, moving and very healing experience. Sadly, Diana got flu and couldn’t be there on the night but I had fantastic help from the two volunteers Sheila and Pat, and the group was very helpful. We stayed in a circle and after the welcome and introductions it took a few minutes to get going but then the end came as a surprise to most, as conversation flowed. at end of life: "what is important to you"; pet grief; grieving; pain of grieving.
It was lovely to see how respectfully everyone listened to one another.
I hope I have remembered everything we talked about but it was very varied and ranged from:
living wills; advance directives; committing suicide- decriminalised in 1961; parents dying young leaving young children bewildered without anyone talking about it to them nor was it mentioned at school v. Child Bereavement Charity/Winston’s Wish and support available now; difficult and or complicated deaths; souls who live on; reincarnation; difficulty believing there is an afterlife; fear of own death or even talking or thinking about it; fear of others dying but not self; dignified funerals v. arranging your own funerals with more wailing and keening; celebrants; funeral directors; asking the question at end of life “what is important to you”; grief; the fear of grieving with the pain that accompanies that; grieving for a pet.
Thank you everyone who took part, you made it a pleasure to fascilitate!
Wendelien