May/June summary combo
A write up of May Tucson Death Cafe
MAY
Tucson Death Cafe met the evening of May 6. The crowd was a bit lighter than in months past. It's getting hot here and the time when winter residents are leaving and things are slowing down. Moe's was still plenty full, though, and its openness to the outdoors is a nice feature for circulation, both for people and fresh air. Tonight, as we began going around the room making introductions someone asked who, rather than what, brought us here. This could be taken literally or figuratively. Many folks chose to respond, and the question and the process fostered introspection, remembrance, and gratitude. Some observed there was a person or persons whose death had contributed, at least in part, to why they were here now. The tone was reverential, and it seemed we were all honoring those people and acknowledging things significant and cherished in our lives. Who knows what smaller, intimate conversations this fostered for the rest of the evening. When we regrouped before closing we were reminded that the Tucson Death Cafe would take a summer break and not meet July and August, so the next cafe in June would be the last before the break, and facilitators Kristine and Cindy asked if anyone new wished to co-facilitate in June.
JUNE
Tucson Death Cafe met Tuesday, June 3, at Moe’s Coffee. There were about 15 people that gathered in the opening circle for introductions. A smaller than usual group, Tucson’s winter residents are gone and summer heat has set in. The city has a more relaxed, quieter feel, and perhaps this explains why this cafe had a more intimate quality. Though we were free to break into smaller groups, everyone ended up staying in a circle for the evening. There were some poignant stories shared about what brought each of us here and what is valued about death cafe. A larger than usual age variety was present, and folks appreciated the spectrum of views offered ranging from a woman in her twenties all the way to a man in his nineties. Where else does this kind of sharing happen?!
As the cafe drew to a close the facilitators Kristine and Cindy reminded everyone that Tucson Death Cafe will be on a break for the next couple months and won’t meet again until the first Tuesday in September, the 2nd. Happy summer everyone and see you in September!