The Rites of Life

Stories by Liz Barry Slideshows by Kim Raff

Our lives are sprinkled with moments, big and small, that take us out of our daily routines and make us feel alive. Others prompt us to mark the passage of time. We consider what has come before and what lies ahead.

When woven together, these moments tell the stories of our lives.

About this Series

The News & Advance series, The Rites of Life, by reporter Liz Barry and photographer Kim Raff, chronicles some of these moments, from the beginning of life to its end. Watch the slideshow above for an overview of the series, or click a picture to the right to see each of the series' 10 parts.

Liz Barry has been a reporter at The News & Advance since October 2007. She graduated from Davidson College with a bachelor's in English, and was a 2007 Summer Fellow at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla. E-mail her at lbarry@newsadvance.com.

Kim Raff has been a photographer at The News & Advance since November 2006. She graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology and has interned at The Saginaw News, The Flint Journal and The Desert Morning News. E-mail her at kweiselberg@newsadvance.com.