We've all experienced the loss of loved ones. Family, friends, neighbors, valuable members of our community taken by death, or perhaps simply having moved away. And we all deal with that loss in different ways. But perhaps none quite as unique or creative as one woman from the tiny Japanese village of Nagoro. Ayano Tsukimisews life-size dolls of villagers from Nagoro who have died or moved away. She places them (already numbering over 350) in spots in the village that were special to them.

Editor’s Note: You can see the heart-touching pictures here

Possible Preaching Angle:

You might think this is either creepy or poignant, but it does remind us that the journey of grief is long and hard and there aren't any clear paths. It also raises questions like, How do you engage the losses in your life? Do you long to make it visible—in some tangible way that can help you understand and cope? While you might not fill your community with life-sized dolls of the dead, perhaps grief and remembrance can find a balance in your community, too.