I believe in the power of ceremonial action.  Throughout our lives, we take part in rituals big and small that resonate and reverberate.   They mark passages and achievements, vows and commitments, beginnings and endings.  They can be as simple as a statement of thanks for a meal or as complex as a coronation. Sculptural objects (and that includes spaces) often help us complete the ceremony we are undertaking.  And since they remain long after the action is finished, they can also help us record and later revisit what moved us. Thoughtfully designed, handmade objects (and spaces) have the power to connect us to our rituals over time in a way that few other things can.

A boat traveling through water leaves a wake behind.  It also generates what is called prow shock, the wave radiating from the front of the boat, sending ripples forward and to the side.  It is my belief that human lives send out similar ripples through time.  A memorial wake held at the end of a life refers to the wake of a boat, but do we also recognize the prow shock each life gives off?  The arrival of a child reverberates in surrounding lives; indeed, it is often said that a baby arrives with gifts under both arms. Might we also recognize that a death, well accomplished, even under the most dire circumstances, can leave gifts to those who remain? 

By intentionally recognizing and thoughtfully marking these, and other, passages in our lives, we show by example how to navigate the mysterious waters of life and death, and how to do so with grace, and care. The ripples created will affect the lives around us, even those we do not know.