Ghostwriter
It’s probably not a topic that many would select! For me it is oddly comforting as I have been involved with creating and designing many. I think it can help honor and remember those who have passed and bring comfort and sometimes even joy to those who come to visit those sacred sites.
Today I was reminded to the epitaph on the original headstone of Harriet Tubman. It one as my favorites as it is very short and says so much. “Servant of God, Well Done”.
One of my ancestors was simply not a nice. He had at least three wives and when we read the headstones we were mortified. “She Weren’t No Cook” Really? That was the nicest thing he could put on a stone? Another one read “She Was a Good Milker”. I don’t dare guess that what that might mean. I hope they had milk cows.
Now I found some funny ones and I guess if they had a great sense of humor they might be appropriate. These two I would imagine are things they said often.
“Oh well, Whatever”
“Well this Sucks”
My brothers is already made and in storage. It’s simple and probably most meaningful to only me.
“Walks with Elk”
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Question of
Have you ever thought about your headstone?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Have you ever had to pick out a headstone?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Do you find visiting a graveside comforting?
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Yes
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No
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You know I have had to pick out way too many headstones.
That is true and still I find comfort in picking out one that gives me comfort and a way to honor the one I lost.
In the storage of ashes, the headstone is uniform.
Not exactly. For example we took the ashes to the forest and placed a headstone there as well.
There are certainly some fascinating memorials around, not to mention inscriptions. One of my favourites is Spike Milligan: “I told them I was ill”.
By the way, I really do dislike the modern fetish of saying that someone has “passed”, as opposed to “died”. It makes it sound as if they have just got their degree! This will turn into another of those cases where the original meaning is lost and it will be impossible to say something like “He passed” to mean that somebody has just got through their driving test. Say that these days and the other person will imagine that the successful candidate is dead!
I appreciate your point of view. I believe their spirit has passed to another realm and only their body has died. To me it is a very clear distinction. The body is simply the shell that held the spirit. So I don’t find it offensive to say someone passed away or passed. It’s fine with me if they say he has died as well. Neither is disrespectful.
“Passed away” I can just about cope with, but “passed” is just ridiculous!