Planning For The Inevitable 

Most things in life are avoidable, but there are a few things in life that are inevitable such as growing old and death. Everyone was born into this world, and one day everyone must go. We do not exactly know when and how we will go. We also do not know where we will go after we take our last breath. Different religions have different teachings on where we will go.

Everyone, or at least most people, are afraid of the unknown. “Life after death” (if there is a life after death) is one of the most feared unknown for most people. But it is something that will eventually happen to all of us and it is better to prepare for it.  

Preparing for it mentally might be a hard thing to do. Accepting the inevitable can at least ease the fear a little bit. The mental preparation might take years to accomplish as we go through life.  

One can depend on other people to decide what happens to the body after oneself has passed away, but sometimes preparing for it yourself can be a good thing. 

Other preparations can be broken down into a few things that can be decided by oneself even before death comes knocking.:  

After passing on, will cremation, burial or donation be the choice? Some people prefer cremation as it is less expensive than burial, and some prefer burial to have a place where loved ones can visit. Some people would like to donate their body to hospitals for research or doctorials students to study. Some people give it to researchers who conduct experiments on how the human body decays.    

If cremation is the choice, will the ashes be spread out at sea or will be kept in an urn? There are other unconditional ways in keeping a loved one’s ashes close to heart. Some jewelry makers make pendants with a mixture of the ashes and transform it into a beautiful jewelries. This might be macabre for some people, but some might find it beautiful and touching. There are a few stores that can be found on the internet for this service. It could be one of the choices to be considered.  

If burial is the choice, it is a good idea to look at buying a burial plot early on in life to make sure a final resting place is available when the time comes. Some burial plots accept payment in installment, which makes it easy for the buyer to gradually pay for their “final home”. It is also highly recommended to find the perfect headstone. This can even be customized according to the client’s need representing oneself and what words will be written on it. Contact a reliable and experienced stonemason to help with this.   

If doing merit and body donation is the choice, searching and contacting the necessary establishment or research center early on is a good idea. They will take care of everything once the time comes. 

How would the funeral be? Some people request lavish funerals with their body displayed as if they are doing what they used to love best when they were alive. Some have a simple request of guests not wearing black as they do not want people to mourn their departure. Some would just like to have their last party in style.