End of Life Reading List: The Digger & The Flower

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As my clients prepare their funeral arrangements, many are considering the impact of their passing on beloved grandchildren. Selecting a book (or a few) in advance can be a beautiful gift not only for your young family members, but also for their parents.

We don’t always have the right words, but this might help:

THE DIGGER AND THE FLOWER BY JOESEPH KUEFLER 

Another gentle book for younger readers, this story follows a life cycle without ever directly using the word death or directly discussing funerals. After collecting the remnants of his beloved Flower and burying them in the countryside, Digger finds a field of flowers have sprung up in their place. Never patronizing or sanctimonious, this hopeful story acknowledges that life can be beautiful, even after a loss. What a beautiful message to leave behind for your grandchildren and their parents.

Throughout this month, I’ll be sharing book recommendations (often with the same leading paragraph). If you find one of these short synopses helpful, please feel free to forward to a friend, family member or colleague who may also be interested.