As Twilight Closes In
There’s a time when all of us will need to say goodbye to this world and to our loved ones. At End in Mind, we think this difficult but meaningful transition can be made a little easier if there is some clarity surrounding key decisions…
It’s about Time
I’ve been thinking a lot about time and what feels like a constant lack of it in my life. There is a lot to juggle between professional and personal obligations and projects not to mention navigating the usual pressures and stresses of life. I’ve been…
Crucial Conversations
I smiled when this envelope arrived in the mail. I like being known as a “Conversation Starter.” That’s what we do at End in Mind. We start conversations, not only about how you hope the end of your life goes, but how you want to…
Pondering the End
I’m a broadcaster. I rarely get to see, much less talk to my audience so it’s never clear how my work affects them unless I get a thank- you message or hate mail.` At End in Mind, we try to follow up with people who…
The End IS in Mind
Death is a part of life. At End in Mind, we honor that simple fact but to be honest, it starts to feel a little different when death starts picking off people around you…a reminder that some day, you too will join the ranks of…
The Gift of Gratitude
“Wonderful work, dear lady!” the email from a past client’s family read. “Words cannot describe how grateful we are for the support you have given our family. Never doubt the importance of what you do. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” In my files at…
A Summer of Change. A guest blog by Felicia Peterson
Note: Felicia Peterson was our summer intern from Macalester College’s “MacNest” program. The prologue was February 21st when I walked into a room full of strangers. While I was excited to discover which startup I would devote ten weeks to, I felt overwhelmed trying to…
“She Woke Up Well”
History is often considered a stale, boring subject filled with places, dates, and people. This is not true because despite the passage of time and regardless of who they were, where they came from, or what they did – at some level, we can identify…
The Perfection of Imperfection
My friend Michael and I were sitting alongside the Mississippi River in south Minneapolis recently when I witnessed the poignant beauty of imperfection, the hidden strength in what is broken. This little piece of damp sand, where the water flows past, is a special place…
No Known Survivors
Memorial Day 2019 was the first for Fred Rathfelder at his new address. Fred, who I knew as Sigfried, was my Dad’s cousin. Sigfried immigrated to the United States along with Erna Rathfelder, my aunt. Aunt and nephew left war torn Germany and wound up…
What’s Your Story?
I recently had the honor of attending the 10th anniversary of the storytelling project A Peace of My Mind by the photographer John Noltner; a project that began simply by asking the question, “What does peace mean to you?” Ten years, two books, hundreds of interviews and thousands…
A Purposeful Life by Father Timothy Backous O.S.B
Cathy’s note: My Dad attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota and was quite proud of the education he received at that central Minnesota institution. A member of the St. John’s alumni lunch group sent me this beautiful essay that reflects what End in Mind…
