Ever thought of what you'd want on your tombstone? C'mon - be honest. It's not really that morbid, right? I'm one of those who tends to think it's good and healthy to think about (not obsess over) our mortality, and be as ready as possible...Problem is, there are so many things I want on my tombstone, I'd have to be buried in some kind of missile silo...
Just in case I ever go without making up my mind, here's one that's been at the top of my list for the past 5 years or so:
Around the corner there may wait
a new road, or a secret gate,
and though I oft have passed them by,
the day (has) come at last when I
shall walk the hidden paths that run
west of the moon, and east of the sun.
Pretty sure it's by Tolkien.
The picture I get in my mind whenever I think of this poem was just emailed to me by my Uncle Charles yesterday (unintentionally, I'm sure):
I guess, in this case, the epitaph should really say "ride"; not "walk". How about you? Have any thoughts about what words you'll leave behind?P.S. I reserve the right to change my mind and choose cremation - but if I do, something's still getting engraved on something somewhere.
8 comments:
I haven't thought about it, but am honestly interested when I read others. It's like your last say and it should be profound, shoudn't it. Not morbid at all. It's a part of life. I actually like the one you said. It's beautiful and dad always has a way of taking pics that you feel the peacefulness. Thanks for this deep thought blog!
I would want a picture of me that I would pick out on it. I saw it once when I was kid on a tombstone and loved the idea. I like to walk in old cemetaries and look at the ages and such. I visit my grandparents graves and some family members annually. I would want it to say something like "Love as Christ Loves".
I need to think more about what I want it to say, but I know for sure what I DON'T want it to say. NOTHING "Beloved." Not "Beloved Mother," or "Beloved Wife," or "Beloved Anything." I don't want the word "Beloved" anywhere my tombstone. That book scared the you-know-what out of me.
What about Talitha koum?
Swirling - yes - you're most definitely right! That will have to go on the other side of the tombstone... :-)
Hmmm. Good topic. I think I'd like to be cremated. And my ashes scattered from a hot air balloon. That reminds me, we should all make sure we have signed advanced directives. I'll look into it.
Way to plan ahead, Emunah! I actually like the idea of being cremated also.
If I were to be buried, with a tombstone, I think I'd want a Scripture passage on it. My friends could choose--the one they thought most fitting.
Not that I'm going to have a tombstone or anything--cremation is the way for me--it would say "GET OUT OF HERE AND GO DO SOMETHING FUN ALREADY!"
Far be it from me to die and not be able to still tell people where to go.
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