Nearly 5 years ago, my husband’s precious maternal grandmother passed away. This special woman had an amazing sense of humor and a flair for life. Without saying a word, she could make me laugh with just a look. Several years before her death, she visited a local funeral home in order to plan her funeral services. When she passed away, the family didn’t have to deal with the stress of organizing her farewell services. They could relax, grieve, and concentrate on the wonderful memories they shared with her. I've grown to appreciate this. On this blog, you will discover the steps required to plan your own funeral.
Planning Your Funeral
Remember These Requirements When Planning Ash Scattering At Sea
Nora Mitchelle
Scattering a loved one's ashes at sea is a nice way to connect the deceased with the ocean if the deceased particularly loved the water or beach. Scattering ashes at sea also allows those ashes to spread out, effectively letting the deceased truly become one with the whole planet. However, it is not as simple as going to the beach and pouring the ashes into the waves. You have to arrange for the scattering with a company that knows how to do this legally. You will also need permits, depending on where you want the ashes to go, and the company can help you with those, too.
Everything Has to Be Able to Decompose
Anything you put into the ocean has to be able to decompose. That means that if you want to scatter flowers along with the ashes, the flowers have to be real. They can't be plastic. And as much as cloth and paper can eventually wear down, you really want to avoid these as they won't disappear as quickly as actual flowers and leaves. If you want to scatter other items, such as mementos of the person's life, talk to the ash-scattering company. They may have suggestions for creating biodegradable representations of those mementos instead.
Yes, the Wind Is a Factor
No matter how close you hold the container of cremains to the water, if you are out on the ocean, chances are there will be wind. And, that wind will carry the cremains. For that reason, you have to find a company where, if you're on a boat and trying to scatter the cremains, you have enough room so that people can stand back and not get covered with ashes. The company's representative on the boat will show you what the best way to scatter the ashes is.
You Can Use Boat or Aircraft
Most people picture heading out on a boat when it's time to scatter the ashes. However, you can arrange for the ashes to be flown out over the ocean, too. This is convenient when the location that the family wants the ashes to be in is farther out than the family wants to go. Note that scattering ashes via plane takes a lot of planning and requires that you partner with a company that works closely with the state. Scattering ashes at sea has to be done several nautical miles off the coast unless you get permits that allow you to scatter them closer to the shoreline. Imagine going to the beach to have fun and instead, you get doused with cremains — that would not be fun. And, it's why scattering ashes near the shore requires so many permits. However, a good company will help you get those permits.
For more information, contact a company like New Choice Burials.
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