Category: Death and dying

Enjoy Ron Culberson's insights on a variety of topics

Why Are We Here…or Anywhere?

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Why Are We Here…or Anywhere?

When I was a kid, I remember riding in the car with my dad when we came upon an accident. A pickup truck had stalled on the railroad tracks as a train was approaching. Luckily the driver got out before the train hit the truck. Unfortunately, however, a dog had been chasing the truck and […]

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When is it OK to Laugh?

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When is it OK to Laugh?

The following article was written in October 2001 after I was repeatedly asked about the appropriateness of humor after the 9/11 attacks. It also appeared in my first book, “Is Your Glass Laugh Full?” Since we are all going through a challenging time with the Coronavirus, I thought it might be helpful to share it […]

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Life and Depth

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Life and Depth

If you’ve read my blogs or seen me speak, you know that my life and work were highly influenced by the time I spent as a home care social worker at Hospice of Northern Virginia. The opportunity to sit by the bedside of someone at the end of their life was extraordinary and because of […]

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Living in a World of Impermanence

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Living in a World of Impermanence

The C&O Restaurant in Charlottesville, VA is a very special place for my wife and me. Back in 1982, when I was in college, I had more hair but less money. I took my then girlfriend Wendy to the C&O Restaurant for Valentine’s Day. We had a wonderful evening but the meal set me back […]

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Learning from the Journey

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Learning from the Journey

Part I The past thirty days has been quite a journey. Along the way, I discovered a few valuable things about myself, my family, and life in general. And isn’t that what our journey through life is all about—discovery, reflection, and understanding? On January 9th, my mother died. She was 94 years-old and until a […]

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Can You Laugh at Your Mistakes?

Can You Laugh at Your Mistakes?

Thanks to my friend Lisa Rochlin Novick for this hilarious story. I have friend who is a Catholic priest. His name is Father John.  The other day he told me this story: He was asked to preside over a wedding and the groom’s name was Rusty.  But Father John called him “Randy” during the ceremony. […]

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Please Don’t Pass Those Who Have Passed

I was on my way to a meeting the other day when I spotted a funeral procession a few cars in front of me. It was 7:30……in the morning……Eastern Standard Time. Who gets buried at that time of the day? Most people are not in that much of a hurry to get to the cemetery. Nonetheless, I […]

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Surprise Funeral?

I recently red where a 28 year-old Egyptian man was declared dead but later regained consciousness. I’d say the doctor in that situation missed a few vital signs. But the funniest part of the article was when it was reported that the man regained consciousness at his funeral and then “celebrated with the other attendees.” […]

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What’s Really Important?

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One of my biggest challenges is trying not to get caught up in what I call Hangnail Experiences – those little annoyances that are not really that important but tend to consume us.  I experienced one of those today when I received criticism about something I did.  About an hour later, after feeling sorry for […]

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I’m a Funeral Junkie

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OK, so I like funerals.  Is that weird? I didn’t like them so much when I was young but as I got older, they grew on me.  Now, I enjoy them. Funerals are an odd mixture of grief, humor, re-connected relationships, and food.  I guess you could say they’re all about life, love, and laughter. […]

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