Monday, April 24, 2006
Planning for the After Life

“… ..not a place to be sad, but to remember the people we care about and to give thanks to God”

I have never put much thought into this issue till recently. To me, this has always been a religious issue....In anycase, isn’t it a little morbid to buy a niche to house my ashes at this moment of my life? After all, I am just reaching the big 30…seems like a long time before I should think of planning for my after life.However, with life’s unpredictability, one can never know. Look at the daily Obituary and you’ll know (you must be thinking how perverse I am….not that I intentionally read that particular page but somehow when I spread the newspapers for my dog’s poo, it always turns out to be the Obituary, so I would normally look through it then). So now, I am seeing it with a practical point of view. Buying a niche, planning what type of rites, writing a will etc is all my way of making my children’s lives easier the day I pass on. I cannot imagine stressing my loved ones on such administrative decisions while they are grieving. In anycase, at least I am in a sane mind to make all the choices now.

Actually, I am fortunate enough to have somebody else (namely my mother-in-law) plan all that for me. Before my other half and I were officially married, a niche was already purchased under our names. Apparently, our niche is at floor which is at eye-level (hence the most expensive) and amongst relatives. Am looking at a ‘suitable unit’ now for my parents. It's like buying property...the level of the unit, the block, the neighbours, the district etc....*cute*

See the 'property' I intend to get for my parents....