It is hard enough to write a blog about death once in a while. Doing so regularly is almost impossible, in my view. So I only post very occasionally – when I feel particularly motivated to.

I did want to wish anyone who reads this a very good New Year, but kept putting it off. I appreciate that a ‘good’ year may look very unlikely to some. It is more than hard to celebrate when Death seems to be knocking on your door – either because your own end is nigh or because someone you love is in that situation. It is even harder when everybody around you seems to be celebrating too.

I can’t resolve this for you or give you words of encouragement or strength. You will have to do what you can to accept whatever the year brings. It helps to be as positive as possible and to focus on good memories. Hopefully, you have a support group (whether family or professional) by your side.

For what my thoughts may be worth, I am thinking of you.

If or when it comes to a funeral, I personally hope that it will be a celebration of life (with, of course, the opportunity to grieve too). But I do hope that the year ahead is better than you may be anticipating.

With my business hat on, I acknowledge the importance of a carefully put-together funeral. It gives me a lot of satisfaction when I get it right. I want to finish with a recent testimonial for a bilingual service I conducted. It shows how positivity is still possible.

“Thank you so much for getting the tone of the service exactly right. I have heard nothing but praise for your caring, guiding approach, and the excellent choice of celebrant that we made. Jack and Tom were impressed by your German. It allowed our German family and friends, watching successfully over the Livestream, to feel much more involved. We could not have done this without you.

“I think that between us all, we were able to make this a very special day, despite being so sad. I am sure A. would have approved.”

Happy New Year!