Life is full of special occasions.  Moments that commemorate passing a milestone or celebrating a rite of passage.

Growing up in an Italian Catholic home, family occasions consisted of baptisms, first communions, confirmations, graduation parties, weddings, baby showers, anniversary parties, family reunions, and holidays. These many occasions involved a lot of family and friends, food and drink, laughter, great stories, and friendly rivalries.

During my twenties and thirties, these happy occasions continued, celebrating generations both younger and older than mine.

As I got older, occasions began including funerals. Lots of them. Funerals of people older than me: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, old family friends, and parents of friends. There’s nothing that...

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