Planning Ahead
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"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" says the old Chinese proverb. These are both words of encouragement and a cautionary tale.
Creating a cemetery requires long-range thinking. Burials are expected to last “in perpetuity,” so what may seem like a minor decision (or omission) at the beginning of the journey may have profound consequences 100 years from now. In fact, 100 years is barely getting established in cemetery age. This is legacy work on so many levels. |
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Leaving Your Legacy
It requires imagination to envision a young sapling planted in the middle of an open field today, becoming a majestic shade tree with a wide root system long after you're gone. Subjects like landscape design, how many burials per acre, rewilding strategies for depleted open spaces or proper techniques to restore historic monuments in neglected cemeteries...and odds are, you won't be there to see the results. But the time to plant that sapling may be this Springtime.
Legacy also includes human values. How we die in the 21st Century merges fundamental human rights issues with environmental concerns of profound impact. As consumers of post-mortem services, we have an obligation to become informed of our choices, to reclaim sovereignty over our after-death care, and to consciously create a legacy authentic to our values. To do that, requires facing our own mortality and considering the impact our after-death plans will have on the environment we leave to future generations.
This isn't just about the values we bring to our own lives. The choices we make now will have profound impact—for good or ill—on the very future of our ecosystem. How we bury our dead may well be one of the keystone choices that we as human beings make. What will future generations have to say about our values?
Legacy also includes human values. How we die in the 21st Century merges fundamental human rights issues with environmental concerns of profound impact. As consumers of post-mortem services, we have an obligation to become informed of our choices, to reclaim sovereignty over our after-death care, and to consciously create a legacy authentic to our values. To do that, requires facing our own mortality and considering the impact our after-death plans will have on the environment we leave to future generations.
This isn't just about the values we bring to our own lives. The choices we make now will have profound impact—for good or ill—on the very future of our ecosystem. How we bury our dead may well be one of the keystone choices that we as human beings make. What will future generations have to say about our values?
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"What a transformative experience! Imagine being taken by the hands of two funeral consumer pioneers, and benefitting from all their experience helping families bid farewell to loved ones in a simple, natural way." |