If I should die before I wake...

[brief_therapy]

Björn and I took a walk in a lovely neighborhood the other day. In the end our walk took us through a churchyard where there was a serene little memory area. Nearly all Swedish churchyards or cemeteries I've been to have a little corner devoted to giving visitors a place to remember those departed loved ones who aren't necessarily buried nearby. (

Comments

[e11en]

Not at all. Sounds perfect.

[carrieb]

Not creepy at all!

I'm probably desensitized to it, though. My grandma spent years and years planning her perfect funeral. It wasn't unusual to go to her house and have her smiling from ear to ear, just dying to tell you her latest hymn/outift/whatever. She would be really mad b/c she picked out a nightgown to be buried in but never tried it on. Turned out it was totally see-thru so my mom had to find something else for her to wear.

[helloheather]

HA! I love stories about your grandma, Carrie. She was certainly a character. And I can't see why she couldn't have been buried in a see through nightie. I mean, come ON. (Kidding.)

[carrieb]

She would have made the most terrifying zombie of all, with her old lady see-through self!

[zapac]

It never occurred to me that the memory area would function for remote remembrance. Officially the ashes are supposed to be spread somewhere around the memory area, but perhaps it differs in practise.

Speaking of placing notes, my maternal grandmother put small notes all over her place to sort her belongings among her children. Sometimes she would shift notes as she liked. Many of the notes were visible in plain sight.

[brief_therapy]

I guess that being from the states where ashes are spread in the deceased's favorite places it never occured to me that those memory sections might be the proper place for ash-spreading. The first time I saw one was when I was visiting Sweden for the very first time. Sadly, my grandmother died while I was here and we decided that I would not cut my long-planned trip short to go back for the funeral. The memory place I stumbled upon seemed perfect for the circumstance - a beautiful little corner of a churchyard with candle holders and benches and a well-tended garden. I remember thinking how nice it was to have kind of an official place to hold my own memorial moment. I guess I assumed that's what they were meant for!

Hilarious to think about your grandmother putting those little notes out in plain sight! I'm also imagining the trading sessions among the children who didn't get what they wanted but did get someone else's desired item...

[helloheather]

Not creepy at all. I think it's smart to make your wishes known. And KIND, to let your family know. That way, when the time comes, long long long from now, they will have the comfort of knowing exactly what you wanted to have done.

[kejn]

have you forgotten the part in which B tells all of your dear LJ readers what has happened?

[brief_therapy]

Oj yes. That semi-creepy and always sad "Dear Reader, the beloved owner of this journal is no longer with us" post.

I had an LJ acquaintance who usually wrote very happy upbeat posts. He died suddenly and unexpectedly. His very last post was a rare rant. I always think about that when I write a ranty or negative post - it'd be a shame for THAT to be the last thing I said.