And Now For Something Completely Different

That title sounds like I am about to write about Monty Python. I’m not, but that would be an interesting topic. If you are ever feeling down and cranky, watch the video “Monty Python Silly Olympics”!  You won’t be cranky for long. But my something completely different is that, today at least, I am writing about the future instead of the past.

I am turning 67 this year. I’ve already lived longer than my mom, two siblings, and my daughter.  I thought it might be a good idea to do some funeral planning and start to prepay. You know, take the burden off my kids. So, yes, my topic is death. All you faint of heart may stop reading now!  If you are still reading, don’t worry…nothing graphic.

My original idea was to be cremated and have my kids release my ashes into Trout Creek, the creek of my wonderful childhood.  But then I got to thinking of how much I love cemeteries. I could wander in a cemetery for hours finding stories written on the stones and just thinking that here was a life that is no longer.  Wow!

So maybe I should have my ashes buried, so there is a permanent marker of my life that is no longer. So that some wanderer, in the future, can see that marker and put a story to it.  My story would live on.

So, I have checked out some funeral homes. They all seem the same to me. I think I may go with Stephens Funeral Home in Macungie for a completely non death related reason.  I used to work with the sister of the owner and she was the most positive person I ever met and a great colleague.  So, you can see, I put a lot of thought into that. Haha.

Now if I am going to have my ashes buried, where should that be? My parents, one set of grandparents, and most aunts and uncles are in Fairview Cemetery in Slatington. That’s a possibility. Another possibility is Sky View Cemetery in Hometown, where my daughter is buried.  It is a beautiful spot but once there is snow cover you can’t find any graves because all the stones are flat in the ground.  I never worked with a positive person whose brother owned a cemetery so I have to put more thought into this one.

I stopped at Sky View the other day to ask about pricing. Did you know that it costs $1250 for them to dig a small whole and have a small concrete vault placed in it and to cover it up again and re-sod?  That doesn’t even include the cremation!  That sounds ridiculous to me so I may have to rethink this and maybe go back to my original Trout Creek plan.  My kids can spend that $1250 on something useful instead.

Other than the turning 67 thing, I’m not sure why I have been thinking more about this lately. Maybe it’s because it is winter. Maybe it’s because I am semi-retired and have more time to think. Maybe it is because I have been writing so much about the past and realizing that so many of the people I write about are no longer with us. I hope whatever plan I choose doesn’t have to be put into action for another 20 years…or more!

I hope I haven’t depressed you with this post. That was not my intent.  If I have depressed you, I would once again like to recommend “Monty Python’s Silly Olympics”. It’s only a few minutes long but it just may make you pee your pants or have milk come out your nose. Two fine things to aspire to!