If you have chosen cremation for your end of life arrangements, you may be concerned with the eventual placement of the ashes. Chances are one of your reasons for choosing and prepaying for a cremation is so you don't burden your loved ones. Instead of letting them decide how to best handle the ashes, why not plan ahead and make your most final of wishes known? The following ideas can help inspire you.
Idea #1: Request an ash spreading
It's not uncommon to have the ashes spread, but is isn't often that the arrangements for doing so are made beforehand. Choose where you want the ashes to be spread and check for any regulations pertaining to the event. For example, a permit may be necessary for some public lands, or a certain type of biodegradable urn may be required for a burial at sea. Include the necessary documents, or at least a details of where to secure them and how, with your will. You can also arrange with your prepaid cremation provider to supply the correct type of urn, if necessary. Afraid your loved ones won't be able to scatter your ashes? Some crematoriums may offer the service as part of the package.
Idea #2: Remain with your loved ones as jewelry
There are various options for turning ashes into jewelry. There are lockets that the ashes can be sealed into. Ashes can also be heated and fused to form a type of glass, which can be used to create pendants. One benefit of ashes jewelry is that you can divide the remains up between family members, so they each can have a small memento of you once you are gone.
Idea #3: Have a portrait commissioned
There are remembrance artists who will paint a portrait of you – or of anything you like – using special paints that are mixed with your ashes. If you have loved ones who enjoy art or would appreciate such a memorial, this can be a creative use that prevents your ashes from collecting dust on someone's mantle. Instead, you become a beautiful piece of artwork that can be enjoyed for generations.
Idea #4: Become one with nature
There are a few ways that you can become one with nature after you have passed. There are special biodegradable urns available where your remains are mixed with soil and seed. Your loved ones then plant the urn, which will grow into a shrub or tree. Another natural option is to send your ashes to a company that mixes them with concrete, and then uses it to build synthetic coral reefs for marine life. If you enjoyed the stars more than life, then a natural option for you is to have your ashes loaded into a low Earth orbit balloon. Once these balloons leave the Earth's atmosphere, they burst and spread your ashes in space.
Talk to the memorial or cremation company about the options that appeal to you most so that you can set up arrangements for it to be handled after you have passed.
For cremation services, contact a funeral home such as Union Funeral Home-Lytwyn & Lytwyn.
