I’ve recently joined the hoards of people who adopted puppies and/or kittens during the pandemic. My kitten “Boots” came to join me about two weeks ago. I arranged to have a seminary friend bring little Boots to New York from North Carolina. He’s added a lot to my little apartment and my life—early morning pleas for food and attention, lots …
Early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, I was having a conversation with a new friend. A person of a “certain age,” my friend lamented that he was going to shelter fully in place, not seeing his son and son’s family, which included a beloved toddler granddaughter. As is well known, children have been less affected by the coronavirus and could …
One of the great things about being a Celebrant is that I have the opportunity to become friends with my couples and watch their lives change and grow. I keep in touch with a good number of my couples, through social media and what not. I can bear witness to their lives, see them having children, making homes, and advancing …
My celebrancy work has been a potent catalyst in my exploring my ancestral connection to Scotland. Although I visited Glasgow and Edinburgh decades ago, it wasn’t until I had the pleasure of working with Scottish couples that I felt a deeper connection to this part of the U.K., learning about their history, customs, holidays, and such. And, so today, I …
I’ve always appreciated the quotation from the writer Paul Pearsall—that family helps us understand what everything means and how to make everything meaningful. For those of who embrace the Celebrant life, we try to imbue all of our traditions with meaning, and I find that especially so during holidays. I do not have children, and as an adult I have …
A few days ago, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, married for a decade with two children, released a public statement on her website Goop saying they were “consciously uncoupling.” They have received quite a lot of ridicule and sarcastic jabs in the popular press, with writers claiming that as mega-stars they have tried to “pretty up” what others of us …
Compared to most holidays, American Thanksgiving has stayed true to its original intent. By the millions, Americans travel to be with other family members. Those of us who are not near family—orphans—gather together to partake in a meal with friends. Unlike holidays such as Labor Day or Memorial Day, Thanksgiving maintains a connection to the concept of its founding in …
A fundamental principle of the Celebrant movement is that a well-lived life marks and honors important events, rites of passage, and transitions—those filled with joy, as well as those marked by sorrow. Celebrant-led ceremonies are not merely “events” noting some significant life milestone, but they provide context, resonance, remembrance, understanding, and healing for those involved. I believe that I was …