In Their Own Words
“I had a wonderful experience participating in The Obituary. Michelle made me feel comfortable navigating through a series of thoughtful prompts that I continue to reflect upon. I have found that this has been so helpful in honing in on what matters most to me. So glad I did this!”
–Kim S.
“The Obituary was a truly wonderful and transformative experience. It was thought-provoking and surprisingly uplifting, inviting deep reflection on what truly matters in life. The entire process was beautifully designed and seamlessly guided, creating a safe and meaningful space for introspection and gratitude. It left me feeling more connected to my purpose and appreciative of the people and moments that shape my story. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone seeking clarity, perspective, or a deeper sense of appreciation for life.”
–Lauren O.
I came to Michelle A M Miller's Room for Dying [project] at a moment in my life when I was beginning to contemplate my mortality following a serious medical diagnosis. I was very grateful to have a space to openly consider the balance of life and death that was on my mind. Michelle began her work by offering a meditation to our group of friends which helped me to slow down and calm down. At first I wasn't sure how my answers to her seemingly broad questions would fit together to write an obituary (even a hopefully premature one) but left with a sense of peace having articulated some of the important moments of my life and identified what was important to me. Later on, as I navigated the medical system, read books about healing and became closer to God, it soon became very important to me to use the materials from Room for Dying to draft my obituary. Only reaching the halfway point before becoming overwhelmed with emotions, I was grateful for the opportunity Michelle's work gave to me to express who I am, what my life has held and what I can hope for to come. The draft of the obituary inspired me to write more about my experience with God's healing and the things I care about in life. For me, Michelle Miller’s Room for Dying became the source of making space for articulating how to live.
-Jeanie A.
“I wasn't sure what to expect with The Obituary, and found myself incredibly moved by the experience. It invites deep reflection. Instead of feeling dark or macabre, the process helped me clarify what is most important to me.”
–Molly A.
“I was initially hesitant to participate in The Obituary experience because, as a combat veteran, I’ve had close calls with death, and it’s something I’ve always feared and preferred not to dwell on. However, the experience turned out to be surprisingly positive. With Michelle’s compassionate guidance, the topic of death was not as unsettling as I had expected. Instead, it helped me reflect on the meaningful, positive aspects of my life and reframe my perspective on mortality. Michelle also went above and beyond to thoughtfully adapt the experience to accommodate my blindness, which made it even more impactful and personal.”
–Blake D.
My relationship with death is only very abstract, therefore vulnerable to the social osmosis of all stereotypes… like denial and dread and “not me”. Anyhow I am only 34 and have all my loved ones alive and well. So I came already armed with a sense of aloofness as I entered Michelle’s “room for dying”. I also was in fact worried that the conversation would be quite disturbing. What happened instead couldn’t be further from my expectations.
Michelle guided us into a reflective, gracious, lighthearted (one way) conversation about the memories and decisions that made up our lives. We chose to journal our entries. It was already half way through the session when I first noticed we were in fact writing a sort of obituary. Talk about easing gently into the conversation…I was comfortable and happy; I enjoyed journaling the people and places that marked my life so far—and I left hopeful that I will positively affect others with the time I have left.
At the beginning of the session I was wondering when we were going to address being dead. At the end, I realized “room for dying” instead put exclamations on all the ways I wanted to be alive, now; and that’s a lot more useful.
Michelle you are awe-some. Your work is important. Thank you!
-Angela B.
