Death and coffee: Talking about the end at the Regina death café
Concept calls for people, often strangers, to get together and discuss death
Some days it's a good day to die and some days it's a good day to have cake.
Death was the topic of conversation for the dozens of people who gathered at Regina's Regent Place Library as part of a "death café."
The events, which started in England and have spread worldwide, aim to get people talking positively about death and suggest ways to make the most of life while it lasts.
They typically get people asking others, and themselves, questions about how they would like to die, or how to help kids understand death's finality without fearing it.
Brent Langenberger was one of the facilitators for Regina's death café. He has facilitated three so far, and estimates there have been six such events in the city so far to talk about death.
"It's one of the things we do have in common in life, aside from birth," he said.
He said the event helps people normalize death, as well as discuss and communicate with people about death and what they would like their own mortal end to look like.
For some people, a good death is being surrounded by friends and family, Langenberger said.
"It's not about counselling. It's not about coaching," he said.
Denise Seguin Horth, who attended Saturday's death café says the death café pushes people out of their normal boundaries, but in a safe and welcoming environment.
"It actually helps me live a more fulfilled life," she said.
"I find North America has really sanitized death. There's a cleanliness to it, we don't want to talk about it," she said.
By being aware of her own mortality, she has a sense of appreciation and living each day for the day it is, she said.
Seguin Horth thinks the discussion around death has increased, due in part to assisted dying legislation.
"It's not always about emotions, it's not always about grief, but we have all been touched by death in some way in our life," she said.
"The more we can talk about it, the less pain there is."
With files from Brad Bellegarde