Epitaph

Epitaph

Even such is Time, which takes in trust.
Our youth, our joys, and all we have,
And pays us but with age and dust;
Who in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days:
And from which earth, and grave, and dust,
The Lord shall raise me up, I trust.

Sir Walter Ralegh

Contemplating and being well prepared for one's own death was considered important in earlier centuries - especially important during Lent.

The recent deaths of both D's Mum and my Mum, have given me many opportunities to do exactly that. I haven't got as far as writing my own epitaph, but I have thought about how I would choose for my body to be disposed of. I recently read of a company called Bios Urns who produce biodegradable funerary urns that have a seedling of a tree in them, to which you add the ashes remaining after cremation and then plant it, so it grows into a living memory. I like that idea!

We had a lovely final day here with Josiah and Erin in NC - hiking (me and Erin) and mountain biking (D and Jo) to see several beautiful waterfalls in the morning. Then we spent the afternoon looking round the Biltmore Mansion and Gardens, which is where this photo was taken of a blossoming tree in the gardens.