Please: “Bury” Me Before I Die

Well, not exactly. I mean, I don’t want to be buried alive, or anything weird like that.

But I’ve been to enough funerals and burials to know that they’re usually wasted on the person being laid to rest. The people left behind – those still alive, in other words – get to have all the fun. As sad as the occasion is (and I mean absolutely no disrespect to those grieving the loss of a loved one), a funeral presents a wonderful opportunity to celebrate someone’s life: who they were, what they loved, and the legacy they left behind.

Why would I want to miss that?

I don’t.

So…I want my funeral service before I die. And I want it exactly like this:

I want to be surrounded by my family, friends, and pets. My kids are at the top of that list of course, followed by my father, who is 92 and shows absolutely no sign of departing this world any time soon, and photographs of my mother, who died in amazing peace a year ago this month. I have four siblings, two sisters and two brothers. They’ll be there, too, hopefully all telling stories about fun times we had growing up (like the time my oldest sister conned me into standing in the corner for her…). I want to know what everyone remembers most about our life together; I want to tell each of them why they made that life so special for me.

I want to be sitting in a chair big enough to accommodate my two cats, who are never satisfied no matter how much I pet them; I don’t want anyone to get upset when my dog runs around and tries to snatch food off their  plate.

Speaking of food, it should go without saying that the meal will be first, potluck, and second, primarily organic and vegetarian, though served with some of the delicious poached haddock that was a Friday staple in our house growing up. Can most of the fruits and vegetables come from my local farmer’s market, please? My favorite cake in the whole world is the fruit-filled yellow creme cake at Whole Foods. I want a big one -no little cupcakes or dainty cookies, certainly nothing overprocessed or packaged in plastic. Let’s put plates of goat cheese drizzled in olive oil and baskets of fresh fruit everywhere. And of course, organic chocolate, maybe Equal Exchange’s exotic chocolate and spice mixes, definitely Lake Champlain Chocolate’s organic truffles.

You can skip the bottled water; my home seltzer maker should suffice. Please bring your own beer or wine. I’m not an afficionado on organic varieties, but if you have a favorite, bring it along.

Serve the refreshments on all the reusable plates and platters I’ve amassed over the years. Really, I’ve got enough for a couple of hundred people at this point. You’ll find dozens of cloth napkins and loads of silverware in the  Gypsy Style duffel bag  I keep in the coat closet; you can get reusable cups and mugs from the stash I share with a couple of neighbors.

Fill the room with cuttings from my garden, especially the native hydrangeas, Black Eyed Susans, gerberas, hollies, and Purple Coneflowers I love. Light tall golden tapers made from beeswax; string twinkly LEDs around the balcony. Don’t forget the music. I hope my father will play his fiddle; I’m sure my sister will play the guitar. Let’s definitely have a sing-along; I’m still a sucker for folk songs, Dylan, Springsteen, and four-part harmonies. If you make a songbook, just please print it two-sided on recycled paper.

Let’s not belabor my modest achievements in life. I’d prefer to hear people recite their favorite poems or funny limericks they write for the occasion. I’ll have to read a few things from Walt Whitman and Mary Oliver, but I’ll try not to choose anything too schmaltzy.

In lieu of presents, I think I’ll pass the hat for a couple of my favorite causes: protecting the Arctic Wildlife Refuge from Oil Drilling, supporting food safety and nutrition education at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, keeping women and children safe at the House of Ruth. Please give generously.

Once I’m actually gone, of course, I hope my burial will have as little environmental impact as possible. Skip the fancy casket made from mahogany or some other endangered wood species. If you make it quick, you won’t have to use any nasty embalming chemicals on me, either. Truly, I want to become part of a garden somewhere, though getting buried in our backyard would probably freak out my kids.  Maybe if I start talking to them now, they’ll get used to the idea.

For more “green” burial choices, don’t miss  this month’s Green Moms Carnival, hosted by Deanna at Crunchy Chicken.

 

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About Diane

Diane MacEachern is a mother of two kids, best-selling author and award-winning entrepreneur with a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources and the Environment. She founded Big Green Purse because she is passionate about sharing her experience and expertise with anyone who wants to live green and save money doing it.

6 thoughts on “Please: “Bury” Me Before I Die”

  1. Hi Diane. I know someone who actually did that! He didn’t want to miss the fun. So he threw himself a wake before he was gone. He had a huge family and tons of friends, so it was a big party. He had cancer and he wanted to have the party before he got really sick. I think it was a great idea. He died very peacefully, actually.

  2. Wow. You are right. Remembering is wasted on the dead. It is something that we should all the time.
    I love your “burial” and I too want to be buried in my garden right near the raspberries!

  3. We lost our 11 yr old son to an infection four years ago. It was very sudden and afterward, all I could think of was all the things we wanted to do with him and for him, but didn’t. It led us to home schooling our two other kids and to looking at life in very different ways.
    Although we’re non-believers in religion, Martin Luther’s words are my mantra now. “How soon ‘not now’ becomes ‘never’.”
    When I die, I want to be buried in our field and that’s possible in Maine. No casket or coffin. Just an organic cotton shroud if folks would be more comfortable with that. Until then, I try to treat every day as if it’s my last and every person I meet as though we’re meeting for both the first and last time.
    Shine On,
    Lill

  4. Lili, Yes, when someone close to you dies, it really makes you re-evaluate not only how you live, but how you want to die yourself. I was with my mother the last couple of days of her life; she died the way I want to, surrounded by loving family and friends. I still miss her greatly, as I know you must miss your son. You will find ways to honor his memory, I’m sure.

  5. Diane, your service sounds wonderful. You mention family but not your many friends – you could more than fill a house with everyone you’ve touched here in DC, let alone through our bloggy friendships!
    I would definitely be there…but I hope that doesn’t happen any time soon.

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