In the past week or so, my smaller circles of connections have seen a lot of loss. Some of the losses have been older people who were lingering for a long time before passing this week. Some deaths were more sudden with people dying of unexpected aneurysms or tragic accidents. I decided just this morning after learning of yet another loss to start posting about ways to stay connected to our lost loved ones even as we live in the moment with the loved ones who are still here.

The Cleveland Clinic describes doom scrolling as “our societal tendency to take in a torrent of bad news while mindlessly scanning social media.” Do you doom scroll? Is that habit bringing you down? I have a suggestion for you.

I’d like to die at L’Arche. I said that to someone recently and the words at first surprised me. They sound so blunt, but they are true. I can’t imagine a better place or way to die than what I witnessed with core member Cindy Skarvold who passed away August 30, 2025.