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At Âme Atendre, we believe in honoring the threads that connect us all—to one another, to the earth, and to the communities we build throughout our lives. These connections are at the heart of our Death and Dying Series, where we explore the ways in which death can guide us to live more meaningfully.
This week’s episode features a conversation with Ashley Kirkham, a former estate planning attorney turned beekeeper. Ashley’s unique journey through estate law and beekeeping offers profound insights into life’s cycles, the importance of following one’s passion, and the enduring power of love and legacy.
Beekeeping, like estate planning, revolves around interconnected systems where every member plays a vital role. In a bee colony, harmony depends on communication, cooperation, and balance. Each bee—from the queen to the workers—contributes to the collective, creating a thriving community that persists even after individual bees are gone.
As Ashley explains, humans aren’t so different. Estate planning may seem like a very practical task, but at its core, it’s about nurturing the people we care about and ensuring their well-being beyond our lifetimes. Both fields remind us that we’re always contributing to a greater whole—building, creating, and leaving behind something meaningful.
At Âme Atendre, this idea of interconnectedness is central to everything we do. We believe that the way we approach life—our relationships, our spaces, and our legacies—reflects how we care for ourselves and others. Every product we design is with the intention of connecting one another – whether it be around a dinner table, or over a glass of wine. Just like a colony of bees, the community we create persists even after we are gone.
Ashley’s work with bees also highlights a lesson central to our ethos at Âme Atendre: the importance of being present. In her words, “When you’re [with] the bees, you’re just 100 percent in it… singularly focused on what they’re doing.”
This mindfulness extends to estate planning as well. Discussing death forces us to pause and consider what truly matters—our relationships, values, and the legacies we’re actively shaping. These moments of reflection can be grounding, even life-affirming, as they reorient us toward living intentionally and with purpose.
Living mindfully and being present are central values at Âme Atendre—modes of being that guide everything we create. Our products are designed to take the maintenance and stress out of curating a beautiful, intentional space. By doing so, we hope to free you to focus on what truly matters: being present with your loved ones and embracing the moments that bring meaning to life. Mindfulness and Presence creates the kind of moments that endure, long after the table is cleared or the evening ends. And in those moments, you’re not just making memories; you’re honoring the connections that matter most.
One of the most touching parallels Ashley draws between estate planning and beekeeping is their shared focus on legacy. In both realms, the impact of our work isn’t measured by immediate results but by the ripples it creates over time. For bees, this might be a flourishing hive. For humans, it’s the love, care, and thoughtfulness we leave behind for those we hold dear.
At Âme Atendre, we view legacy as an extension of love—a way to ensure our presence continues to nurture and support the people we care about long after we’re gone. Ashley’s story serves as a powerful reminder to cherish our connections and embrace the cycles of life with grace and intention.
In this episode, Ashley shared the books that have profoundly shaped her journey, offering inspiration and wisdom at different stages of her life. Since childhood, Anne of Green Gables has resonated with her, thanks to its strong and enduring main character. As she navigates existential maturity, works like The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter have offered practical and emotional insights, while Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone have deepened her understanding of connection. Through these stories, Ashley invites us to explore the universal threads that bind us—to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.
Ashley Kirkham’s journey reminds us that life is a series of interconnected cycles, where every choice we make and connection we nurture contributes to the greater whole. At Âme Atendre, we are inspired by stories like hers—stories that teach us to be present, cherish our relationships, and embrace the enduring power of legacy.
Through the lessons of beekeeping and estate planning, Ashley shows us how to honor the threads that connect us all, encouraging us to live with intention and love. As we continue exploring these themes in our Death and Dying Series, we invite you to reflect on the ways your own life, community, and passions shape the legacy you’ll leave behind.
