Death Café offers safe place to talk mortality, eat cake
NORWICH – The Guernsey Memorial Library in Norwich has invited the community to an open discussion on what some might consider a morbid and controversial topic.
Death Café, a worldwide trend that increases awareness of death with a view of helping people “make the most of their finite lives,” will be held from 4-6 p.m. Friday the 13th inside the community room at the Guernsey Memorial Library.
Death Café is an informal event where people can discuss an often-times undiscussed matter in a relaxed setting. It’s a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes, where participants can discuss death – while drinking tea and eating cake.
“I think people are curious about it, but kind of afraid because it sounds too depressing, or sad, or something someone just doesn’t want to talk about,” said Guernsey’s Death Café organizer Amanda Mills. “But it really is more uplifting than people think.”
To date, more than 6,600 death cafés have been held at locations around the world. The Death Café website, deathcafe.com, touts the event as a respectful and confidential discussion with “no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action.”
“There’s no agenda or theology,” Mills said. “For me, the connection and meaningful conversation is what drew me to it. That’s what I’m hoping to bring to people. Let’s just talk about it and make these deep connections.”
Mills, who was introduced to the idea at a librarians’ conference earlier this year, explained that it’s those “empowering and deep connections” that are the essence of Death Café.
“At my first Death Café, I sat at a table with strangers and drinks, and we talked about death. I made connections with them,” she said. “I haven’t made those kind of connections with people I see every day or with people I’m close to, and I think that’s because the topic is so taboo.”
Mills added she hopes for the same experience in the Norwich community.
Death Café is open to the public. Anyone interested in more information can contact Mills via email at no.amanda@4cls.org or by phone at 334-4034.
Death Café, a worldwide trend that increases awareness of death with a view of helping people “make the most of their finite lives,” will be held from 4-6 p.m. Friday the 13th inside the community room at the Guernsey Memorial Library.
Death Café is an informal event where people can discuss an often-times undiscussed matter in a relaxed setting. It’s a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes, where participants can discuss death – while drinking tea and eating cake.
“I think people are curious about it, but kind of afraid because it sounds too depressing, or sad, or something someone just doesn’t want to talk about,” said Guernsey’s Death Café organizer Amanda Mills. “But it really is more uplifting than people think.”
To date, more than 6,600 death cafés have been held at locations around the world. The Death Café website, deathcafe.com, touts the event as a respectful and confidential discussion with “no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action.”
“There’s no agenda or theology,” Mills said. “For me, the connection and meaningful conversation is what drew me to it. That’s what I’m hoping to bring to people. Let’s just talk about it and make these deep connections.”
Mills, who was introduced to the idea at a librarians’ conference earlier this year, explained that it’s those “empowering and deep connections” that are the essence of Death Café.
“At my first Death Café, I sat at a table with strangers and drinks, and we talked about death. I made connections with them,” she said. “I haven’t made those kind of connections with people I see every day or with people I’m close to, and I think that’s because the topic is so taboo.”
Mills added she hopes for the same experience in the Norwich community.
Death Café is open to the public. Anyone interested in more information can contact Mills via email at no.amanda@4cls.org or by phone at 334-4034.
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