02/11/2025
This very same sentiment struck me this weekend....the weirdness of how at Halloween, we're ok with skeletons, ghosts and RIP signs being everywhere, yet for the most part we hush death away...
I've had more 'death aware' conversations with folk this past couple of weeks than usual - perhaps the 'deathness' helps switch us on to the reality that life doesn't go on for ever...
Thanks CPJ Field for this post...🙏
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We don't do Halloween.
Here's why.
On Halloween, death is everywhere.
Skeletons. Ghosts. Graves in the front garden.
For one night, we're fine with it.
Then we spend 364 days pretending death doesn't exist.
Here's what we see:
Families who don't talk about death until they have to.
Who take photos down because seeing them hurts.
Who think moving on quickly is strength.
Who grieve alone because talking about death feels wrong.
Here's the truth:
What helps most isn't hiding grief.
It's keeping them present.
Saying their name. Telling stories. Gathering to remember.
Death isn't scary because it's death.
It's scary because we've made it unspeakable.
What if we just spoke about it?
Not once a year in costumes.
Just honestly. Regularly. Openly.
There's no right way to grieve.
But we've seen what helps.
And silence isn't it.
That's what we're here for.
Not to make death fun.
To make it talkable.
