Living/dying Consciously

03/26/2026

Join us for big conversations, coffee, and cake at the next Maine Highlands Death Cafe! It's happening Sunday, April 12th from 1-3 pm at Guilford Memorial Library. No registration necessary.

03/22/2026

Grief is contradicting. It teaches you how to hold on and let go at the same time. One moment, you’re clinging to every memory, every little detail, afraid that forgetting even the smallest thing means losing them all over again. And the next, you’re begging for relief, wishing you could loosen your grip just enough so it stops hurting this much. You miss what was, but you’re also trying to survive what is.

It makes you feel full and empty all at once. Your heart feels heavy with everything you carry, yet there’s this quiet kind of hollowness that nothing seems to fill. You can be surrounded by people and still feel alone, laughing in one breath and breaking in the next. It doesn’t make sense, and maybe it never will.

Grief is love that doesn’t know where to go anymore. It stays, it lingers, it transforms into something both beautiful and unbearable. And maybe that’s the contradiction you learn to live with not because it gets easier, but because you slowly learn how to carry both the pain and the love in the same fragile hands.

03/21/2026

Thank you to Grief Embraced With Love.

03/19/2026

03/17/2026

Grief can feel isolating, but support is available. Our in-person, 6-week grief group offers a welcoming space to share, listen, and heal. Register by calling 802-8078 or email info@pinetreehospice.org.

03/17/2026

March 24, 4pm PT

03/16/2026

On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.

And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The gray window
And the ghost of loss
Gets into you,
May a flock of colors,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
In the curragh of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.

JOHN O'DONOHUE

Beannacht, written for his mother, Josie.

From the books, To Bless the Space Between Us (US) / Benedictus (Europe)
Ordering Info: https://johnodonohue.com/store

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland
Photo: © Ann Cahill

03/13/2026

We were recently contacted by a friend of the shelter who was looking for resources to help them deal with the loss of a pet. Grief for a pet is real. We know. We've all been there. And we want you to know that experiencing difficulty coping with losing a constant companion is totally normal. You'll still go through the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) and the path to healing is never a straight line.

A huge thanks to our friends at Maine Veterinary Medical Center who have thoughtfully compiled a list of resources, which you can find here: https://mvmc.vet/pet-loss-support.

The ASPCA also has resources available here: https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/pet-euthanasia-grief/

You are not alone. Your grief is real. We are sorry you're going through this, and we thank you for loving your pets this much. You can rest assured they will be waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge.

03/12/2026

Many societies are "death-denying," treating it as a failure of medicine rather than a natural part of life. By addressing death openly, individuals can reduce anxiety, make informed decisions, and ensure their wishes are honoured.

03/12/2026

You don’t have to navigate grief alone. Join us for an in-person, 6-week grief support group where you can connect with others who understand. Spring session starts Tuesday, April 7 and will be held in Dover-Foxcroft. Register by calling 802-8078 or email info@pinetreehospice.org.

This free group, led by trained bereavement facilitators, provides those grieving the loss of a significant person an opportunity to share their grief story, learn more about grief, and give and receive support.

03/11/2026

03/10/2026

Next Tuesday March 10....