It's been a depressing few weeks. I lost a very close friend to colon cancer. Then I received news this week that another friend is dying of cancer. And, one of my associates died of heart disease two weeks ago. All of these people are between 45 and 60 years old.

As I write this, American actress Farrah Fawcett has died and so has pop icon Michael Jackson. Actor David Carradine recently died as did Ed McMahon, the former Tonight Show announcer. But the death that sent shockwaves around the world two weeks ago was that of Iranian election protester Neda Agha Soltan whose dying moments were captured on amateur videos and spread across the globe for all to see.

I am still mourning the loss of my father even 10 years later because he was such a great dad and come Father's Day every year, I somehow miss him most at that time.

But life goes on. I am going to snap out of it and face facts. And at least I am better off than my friend whose husband died recently but seems to still be hanging around in the spirit. So in a recent discussion, I learnt that when a man dies and leaves his wife behind, Jamaican culture dictates that she must protect herself and her surroundings from his spirit. In the words of another friend, "she must fix up herself." Bear in mind that these bits of advice are based solely, on good old Jamaican superstition, but if your granny told you so, just believe her.

THE FIXING

1. The car he used to drive must be totally cleared out and cleaned. And by this we mean, taking out the seats, removing rugs and carpets etc and giving the vehicle a thorough clean with ammonia, disinfectant and more.

2. The furniture in the house and in particular, the bedroom, must be rearranged. If you can afford it, buy a new bed. This will prevent your mate from finding his way back into the bed with you. Doesn't hurt to leave the Bible open on the bed too.

3. By day three make sure you are burning incense and candles in areas frequented by the deceased.

4. The body of the widow must be protected too. She is supposed to wear a tape measure around her waist, red panties and even sanitary pads for a period of up to 12 months following the man's death. It is believed that the dupppy will come back to its old haunts and will even try to have sex with its former wife/woman.

5. If someone was in another parish when they died, the body is supposed to be driven back to their residence, then the vehicle must turn around and leave or it is believed, they will always be trying to go back home.

6. The house must then be locked up and frankincense burnt in it for a day before it is inhabited again.

If you know of any beliefs surrounding the death of a loved one, tell us about them. Better yet, do you know of anyone who has been 'visited' by a dead spouse? Let us know at:lifestyle@gleanerjm.com