I don't think you could call it a funeral. Not a wake. 'Perhaps a 'laying to rest' for the romantic?Or a 'Redistribution of nutrients' for the not so.
Or as I like to call it, "Planting Granma".
I went to Brendan's Aunt Siggs place to pay respects to the memory of his grandmother and watch her ashes being added to a lovely urn to fertilize a tree that would grow there. The whole family gathered around for the event. It's amazing to see how one woman managed to have been directly responsible for such a large, varied family! Who says one person can't make a difference hey?
Compost was added to the urn and all was ready for the ashes.
Upon the urn were two plaques to commemorate the person being interred and the families who'd loved her so very much. One in English and one in German.
We even had a curious visitor drop by to see what all the commotion was about! And indeed to cause some commotion as the kids, and a few adults, howled meows up to it. It ran off soon after.
The ashes were added to the urn. I stood back because of a sudden fear of inhalation of a relative and sneezing. (If I had I would at least have sneezed in the direction of the urn, just in case!)
The kids were a mix of fascinated, curious and just a touch bored. In other words, full on natural kids! I wonder how they interpreted all of this?
And so the circle of life continues, back to the ground from whence we came. I hope to see this tree many years from now and the majestic plant it could grow into!
(Wouldn't be a bit awful if it suddenly died? I'd blame winter, it's been a harsh one.)
I think I'd like something like this. Take my ashes and sprinkle them somewhere where they can be useful. Don't keep me on a mantelpiece to freak out small kids or get eaten in some teenage dare. Maybe sprinkled on a mushroom patch or orchid? Or a watermelon vine!
It's a nice way to go out.
Rest In Peace Oma
5 Jaunuary 1926 - 23 October 2011.
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