If there is one absolute certainty about this life, it is death. Although human beings have spent centuries debating how life began and what happens afterward, none can argue against our greatest common denominator.
I think at some point we have all thought about the end. Not in a morbid way, but out of curiosity. What it might be like, when it will happen, how others will remember us and so on. Until recently, I hadn’t given much thought to the idea of my remains and to how I would want my body to be processed. After further consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I want my body to be buried. I don’t want an elaborate casket to encase me, nor do I want to be embalmed. I want my physical goodbye to be au naturel.
Initially, I decided on burial because I can’t stand the thought of cremation. Not because of pain– I’ll be dead–but because I think it would be a waste of energy. To fire up the crematorium takes energy and I don’t feel it’s necessary. Additionally, I don’t want to contribute any more to pollution than I already have. Being fortunate enough to live in a modern society has come at a cost to the environment: waste from energy production, deforestation and the extinction of other organisms, name just a few negative consequences.
When I think of embalming a body for preservation purposes, it just doesn’t make sense to me. I understand that funerals are more for our loved ones to grieve and say goodbye, but replacing my bodily fluids with toxic chemicals doesn’t sound appealing or environmentally friendly. I would prefer my loved ones to remember me as I was – not as a lifeless stiff in a fancy box.
This brings me to my next point, which is that I don’t need or want an overpriced coffin. That’s an extra expense that doesn’t seem very practical. I want to be buried in something easily biodegradable or nothing at all.
Perhaps the greatest factor for everything I’ve stated thus far is the natural cycle of life. As a biology major, I’ve learned about the chemical cycle of our planet. Essentially, nutrients are drawn from the soil by plants, which are then eaten by animals. In turn, those animals are eaten by other animals to continue the cycle up the food chain. Once a plant or animal has died, their remains are decomposed by bacteria, fungus or other organisms, and nutrients are returned to the soil. As I dedicate my education and the rest of my life to helping others, I want to continue to do so even in death. I want every bit of my body to return to the cycle that has sustained my life, to pass along the same nutrients I received in my mother’s womb to the next generation of life on this planet.