Compassion & Carpentry!

Compassion & Carpentry!

  
The “First Person” column in the Globe and Mail is a compilation of personal anecdotes, stories and essays submitted by readers. Recently it had an extremely sweet article on Compassion and Carpentry.

The caption starts with “when my wife died, I rescued cedar to take on a new purpose. Building her casket with my grandkids warmed our hearts.”  What continues to stand out for me when I read about losing family members is how people feel it is so tedious to fill out legal documents that leave people fumbling for places and dates. Keep in mind you are not at your best emotionally and sometimes physically when this has happened. So, I understand the associated frustration and challenge. But what I liked about this article is that it gives hope that we do get beyond all the perfunctory things that we need to do at a time of great grief. Our author Don Robertson takes on the project of building his wife’s coffin with his grandchildren. Meticulously picking the boards and building a plan to create a box 76” X 18” X 23” deep. Sanding bristly boards and the use of a slow rhythmic and thoughtful movement, led to the creation of a red cedar grain casket that was vivid and beautiful. A story worth reading as it was a story with heart about a family, we can all relate to with the experience. What I took away was the opportunity to use an inspiring project to create a tribute that bound this family together. The experience he gets to share with us leaves strong feelings of intention, love, and sadness. Now the legal logistics, he mentions in the editorial, we can only address, by being prepared and having a Will.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person-archive/  the article appeared in the Globe & Mail on June 2, 2022, First Person Column.

 
Read about what happens when there is No Will