Category Archives: death

Time to Teach the “Dirtiest Word” in School

Posted on March 26, 2023 by bullersbackporch

Death is the “dirtiest word I know,” so I think it’s critical we stop hiding from one of our most commonly shared human experiences. Both health education & sex education are well-accepted elements of a strong school curriculum — why … Continue reading →

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Grieving the Death of a Furry Family Member

Posted on February 4, 2023 by bullersbackporch

Pets bring us joy when they enter our life. Pets bring us love throughout their lives. And pets bring us pain, sorrow and grief when they die. Of course they do. A pet is a friend and a family member. … Continue reading →

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Reminder: We Are All Temporary Here

Posted on January 23, 2023 by bullersbackporch

Death reminds us of mortality, our own and others. Inevitable as death is, when it comes, we act as if it’s completely unexpected, regardless of how it arrives. We even try to avoid mentioning the word in polite company. instead … Continue reading →

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Make of Me a Moral Lesson

Posted on January 15, 2023 by bullersbackporch

Willy Wonka would be proud. Some funeral goers will likely be appalled. Just don’t blame me. It’s not my fault. It’s not even my idea. But it is a great idea. So, I’m stealing it. Not just to repost the … Continue reading →

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My (Future) Dying Request

Posted on September 25, 2021 by bullersbackporch

Laugh! That’s right. The day you hear I have died,  I want you to laugh. Feel free to start now, of course, but I’m talking about that time sometime in the future when I die, be it tomorrow, next year, … Continue reading →

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Walking in the Long Shadow of Grief

Posted on August 25, 2020 by bullersbackporch

This camel stops at every tent. —a Persian proverb my friend and colleague, Bijan Masumian, shared with me upon hearing of my father’s death Death is inevitable. We each will die. Before that, people that we know die. As you … Continue reading →

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Remembering my Friend, Mike MacNaughton (Part 3)

Posted on August 7, 2020 by bullersbackporch

Part 3 — In the wake of my best friend’s death recently, I’ve been trying to walk myself back through our many years of friendship and companionship, sharing short summaries of significant phases while highlighting a few stories along the … Continue reading →

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Remembering my Friend, Mike MacNaughton (Part 2)

Posted on August 4, 2020 by bullersbackporch

Part 2 of frustratingly incomplete memory snatches of my best friend, Mike MacNaughton, who died unexpectedly in his sleep recently. I’d known him for 50 years, so any tribute is obviously abbreviated. Even spreading some of these stories out over … Continue reading →

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Remembering my Friend, Mike MacNaughton (Part 1)

Posted on July 26, 2020 by bullersbackporch

  My best friend, Mike MacNaughton, died unexpectedly in his sleep last week. The loss of any close friend is difficult & life-changing, and Mike was my best friend for most of my life. Recently, we reconnected again after a … Continue reading →

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Pick Up the Phone. Make the Call. Today

Posted on July 23, 2020 by bullersbackporch

“I meant to call him just like week…” My best friend of over 50 years, Mike MacNaughton, died unexpectedly in his sleep last Friday night. Several months ago, after over a year of silence, he called me about the time … Continue reading →

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