It wasn't too hard to find interesting non-standard funerary practices. Apparently society has gotten very creative in how they would like to be remembered! I hadn't thought too much about my own memorialization. It might be irresponsible but I like to think as a 19 year old I'll have some time to finalize my plans. I think, personally I would choose cremation and have my ashes being spread somewhere. On the other hand, if one of my own close family members did that I would feel slightly cheated. As much as I hate the idea of rotting in the ground, I like the idea of having a headstone to come and visit. I have thought about my parents death and (although even thinking about life without my mom makes me hyperventilate) I have trouble imagining either one of them placed in a cemetery along with a lot of other deceased strangers. It's traditional but kind of impersonal. I've been to a couple funerals over my years but two summers ago at my Grandma's was my first time at an open casket funeral. I tried to keep my cool but both my brother and I went nowhere near that casket to say our goodbyes. Emotionally, I didn't need that physical kind of closure. But I felt a little immature not being able to deal with the made-up body of my recently deceased loved one. The whole thing just seemed too weird and honestly a little gross. So when looking at all these alternative funerary practices I was intrigued. Usually I picture a bizarre rich man taking part in a lot of these. But one caught my eye.
A company called Biopresence is calling it “Living Memorials” or “Transgenic Tombstones”. Scientists have come up with a way to transcode the essence of a human being into a tree by entwining your DNA with the one of a plant.
At first I rolled my eyes. But compared to the other non-standard techniques like ashes being turned into pencil carbon, or the more well known option of Cyronics (freezing the body after death), this one didn't seem so bad. I'm no scientist, so for all I know these claims of combining DNA may be wild and just a scam. But of all the ways to be remembered and kept after life, this one seemed oddly poetic. Being apart of something living and beautiful long after your death and giving family members a place to grieve, kind of hits the best of both standard options in a very non-standard way.
Plus, in all seriousness it reminded a lot of that tree from Forrest Gump.
And I would not mind being that tree.
References:
Pictures:
1. http://totallytop10.com/current-affairs/odd-news/top-10-weird-burials
2. forrest_gump_oak_tree_by_elemento188-d34xjkw.jpg
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