We’ve all heard the five words at some point in our lives: “Everything happens for a reason.” An unexpected setback. A debilitating accident. A diagnosis you never thought you’d hear. An illness that wreaks havoc on your life. A sudden death. Dreams that die, hopes that are crushed, relationships that end. Then, those five words, words seemingly simple, uttered without thinking, yet…

Our time with Covid has given birth to some peculiar practices. One concerns funerals. For the past 2½ years, when a loved one died and friends inquired about when services would be held, they were typically told, “Oh, we are just having a celebration of life later on.” Why hurry, the family is thinking? Why not wait weeks or even months to…