A culture like ours that values youth and vitality does not talk easily about death.
Which might make death all the more surprising and hard to deal with when it arrives.
The concept of the "death café" gives people a chance to gather in a relaxing setting to just talk about death.
Ashland Death Cafémeets several times a year to provide that opportunity. Laurel Miller is a co-founder and facilitator; she visits with details of what happens at the events.