CapeNews.net – Benjamin Franklin once said that in life there are two things people can be certain about—death and taxes.
While people complain loudly about taxes, they generally avoid talking about the other altogether. But since October a group of roughly a dozen Falmouth residents have been putting their fears of death aside and discussing the subject once a month, over coffee, tea and cake (occasionally decorated with a miniature wooden coffin on top).
The meetings are intended to dispel the taboo nature of death and prepare attendees for the inevitable resolution of human life—that we all die.
Wait, where the hell are The Cape Cod Fun Police on this one? Forget Monster Shark Tournaments and live music, these people are taking fun to an entirely new level. Cakes with coffins on them? Funeral cost analysis? Discussing dying with dignity over coffee? No more live music for me, where do I sign up for the Death Cafe?
So obviously this is easy to make fun of, but this part struck a nerve…
Yesterday at the church Ms. Massey playfully showcased everything from a box of tissues to several books—to several miniaturized versions of wooden coffins, all to demonstrate the occasional irreverent tone brought to what can be a difficult subject for many. “You have to be able to laugh at it,” she said.
Hold on a sec here… “irreverent tone brought to what can be a difficult subject”? That sounds kind of familiar. “You have to be able to laugh at it” (difficult subject)? Um, sounds like a pretty solid philosophy to me.
So what is happening here is we have a group of people that are making light of something in order to lessen the gloominess and illuminate the humor in an otherwise serious subject? Yeah I think I can get behind that, so all the power to you folks. Sounds like The Death Cafe and The Real Cape’s missions aren’t that far off from each other.
P.S. I still wouldn’t be caught dead at The Death Cafe.
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