Candles at the Threshold — A Tribute to Death Doulas

There are guardians at the end of the road—
not angels, but doulas.
They do not fly, but they stay.
They hold space, not just hands.

While the world shies away from death,
they step closer.

A death doula is not just a presence—
she is a presence that listens
when silence becomes the language of goodbye.

She brings lavender for breath,
warm cloth for the forehead,
and a kind voice for the unspoken fears
that rise when the body forgets how to stay.

In these liminal hours,
when the veil is thin,
she becomes a lantern—
so that those who are leaving
and those who are grieving
may both find light.

As a eulogy writer, I stand beside her.
We both witness love in its last form.
She midwifes the soul through the night.
I carry the story into morning.

To the death doulas who work in quiet grace—
I see you.
I honor you.
Let us walk this sacred threshold together.