A Beginning..... the End

As we turn our thoughts to a new beginning, I can't help but think of the end. Death is inevitable. After each death, the question that follows is what is next? Do we have a wake, have a funeral, have a burial, cremate, donate the body, etc. The options are numerous.

The one that I do not understand is the burial. There is the thought that you are laying the body to rest for eternity. If you believe that the person has a spirit and a soul that lives on for eternity, then the body is just a shell that personifies the soul and spirit. If the soul and spirit do indeed exsist, I doubt that they would stay in the casket for the rest of eternity. The spirit would do things such as watch over it's loved ones or live peacefully with god. Once again, not in the casket.

Some would argue that the burial ground and tombstone create a memorial where the deceased can be remembered. I contend that family and friends would be much better served by creating a memorial at a place that actually meant something to the deceased. Chances are, the deceased never went to the burial site and has no attachment to it. Remember those passed where memories were created.

If I wish to remember and pay tribute to someone passed, I need only to consult my mind. A place where memories live vividly, and I can visit anytime. Some recognize cemetaries as hallowed ground. I recognize the memories as hallowed. The cemetary is just a place that consumes money and is a waste of good land.