When I heard, on NPR of all places, that Michael Jackson was going to be buried in a $25,00 gold coffin, I choked. It could not be farther from what I want to happen when I die. As a former attorney and current control freak, I've had a will for many years. I decided long ago that I wanted to rest as naturally as possible. After donating all the organs one can use from my hopefully very old but in very good condition body (If I have my way, I will have died peacefully in my sleep next to my husband), I state in my will that no embalming fluid may be used (toxic to the environment, especially the water supply and it is toxic to those employees in the funeral business) and that I should be buried in a simple, inexpensive pine box without a liner in the ground. My desire: to be "worm food." Some of my friends and family members are freaked out about the idea of worms and other bugs eating away at one's own corpse. To me, it couldn't be more natural. I am Jewish and we are supposed to go back into the ground, the whole "ashes to ashes and dust to dust" thing as G-d created man from the dust of the earth. Cremation is a no-no for my religion.
When someone wants to memorialize a friend or relative who has died, it is common among "my people" to plant a tree in Israel and send out a certificate commemorating it. Recently, I heard that there is a new trend which expands on my desire to go as naturally as possible. It is called a "tree burial." A tree is planted on the grave site. Yes! I want to be a tree! Trees are beautiful! Trees are strong! Trees clean the air! What a beautiful site it would be to have my children and my grandchildren picnicking under me, the tree. After some research, I haven't been able to find a place in the Chicagoland area to do this. I hope that, by the time I go, this will be an option for me and for anyone else who desires it.
This is an original post to Chicago Moms Blog. Sophia Leto also muses about religion, politics, food and the life of a SAHM with PMDD at www.moodymommy.wordpress.com
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