Simply Cardinal

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People mean well.
They offer advice.
They tell you how strong you are.
They say things like “they’d want you to be happy,” or “at least they’re not suffering.”
They talk about closure. About moving on. About staying positive.

But here’s the thing—
Until you’ve sat in the front row at a funeral…
Until you’ve looked at a casket and felt like the world cracked open…
Until you’ve had to stand there and say goodbye when you weren’t ready—
You don’t really know.

You don’t know how grief rearranges every part of you.
You don’t know how long the silence lasts after everyone else goes back to normal.
You don’t know what it’s like to carry someone in your heart because you can no longer carry them in your life.

So, if you haven’t been there yet, I’m truly glad.
I hope that day doesn’t come for you for a very, very long time.
But please—
Don’t tell me how I should be grieving.
Don’t tell me what joy should look like right now.
Just sit with me. Walk beside me.
Or let me be.

Because unless you’ve sat in the front row…
You don’t get to hold the mic.

When it comes to the topic of death and dying, there isn't much that surprises us, but Gen Z certainly has, bucking the trend of increasing cremation rates and choosing casket burial instead. In our recent survey of generational preferences regarding death and dying, 37 percent of Gen Zers said they'd prefer casket burial, versus only 18 percent of Baby Boomers choosing the same (66 percent of Baby Boomers would choose cremation). Honestly, we thought Gen Z would go the natural burial route! What would you choose?

Image description: Illustrations of green leaves and other elements. Text: What is Gen Z most likely to choose to have happen to their body after they die? A: Casket Burial, B: Cremation, C: Natural Burial. D: Natural Organic Reduction

Amerie Tone Hollingsworth of Elgin, passed away October 20, 2023 after fighting a courageous battle with cancer. Born January 24, 2005 in Elgin to his beloved parents Anthony (Crystal Turner) Hollingsworth and Charmalyn Cadney; loving brother of Shaniyel Hollingsworth and caring step brother of Jal...

Simply Cardinal