Keeping a reminder of those we love nearby, while laying their ashes to rest.

Deciding what happens when we die is a big decision. Yet it’s something that we don’t always talk about. Some have their own particular wishes for family and friends to follow. Others prefer to leave the decision to those they leave behind as they want family and friends to say goodbye as they wish.

What to do with a loved one’s ashes

We know from experience that the burial process is very final. Once you have laid the person you love to rest you have a place that you can return to as and when you wish. This is true whether you are planning a burial for a family member, friend or even a much-loved pet. However, with cremation, there are further decisions to make like what to do with their ashes.

This is not always an easy decision. It can be a difficult choice between interment of ashes, a scattering of ashes or keeping a loved one’s ashes at home. If you choose to bring ashes home another important aspect to consider is ‘what will happen to them when you are gone?’ Will they be included as part of your funeral arrangements or who will inherit them? Unfortunately, we have heard that it is not uncommon to find ashes as part of a house clearance. But this should not be the case. They are special and meaningful so making your wishes known is important.

There is also the dilemma that sometimes we want different things. This is understandable because we all grieve in our own way. For some having a loved one’s ashes nearby is comforting. For others, it’s knowing that their family member or friend is at rest in a place that they can visit or somewhere they would have loved.

On occasion, we have found ourselves helping families who are conflicted and are not sure what to choose. Often they feel they have to choose one or another. However, last year we came across an idea from Glasform that allows you to choose both. You can lay your loved one’s ashes to rest, while also keeping a part of them close.

Keeping those we love close while laying them to rest

Glasform will include a loved one or pets ashes in a beautiful glass memorial. This is something that you can keep as a special reminder while laying the remaining ashes to rest.

The wonderful thing about these glass pieces is that each one is personal and unique, like the people we love. It was interesting to hear that they only use a teaspoon of ashes for each memorial. This means you can include ashes in multiple pieces. Like jewellery, you can bequeath these to a family member or friend in the future. You, therefore, don’t have the worry of, ‘what will happen to their ashes when I am gone?’

The great thing is these can reflect a special memory or something that your family member loved. This could be the birds they fed or the apples they grew. It could be a reminder of the lily pad that adorned their pond, or if it’s for your pet, the bone your dog loved to chew. They are a unique reminder of the person special to you.

What captured our attention was that so many of these pieces have a natural theme. This included their little red robins and mushrooms. A love of nature is often one of the reasons people choose to have an interment at our natural burial grounds. It’s one of the reasons we thought this was a great idea for those who want to rest in nature and have something at home.

This could also be true for those who want a burial instead of cremation. As our Marketing Coordinator Sarah found out their glass pieces, without ashes, can offer a special memory in themselves.

Bringing memories back

When Sarah visited their workshop on her recent tour of our natural burial grounds she picked up a little mushroom for a family member. She chose it simply because she thought it was something she would like. She had not even considered was that it would bring back memories through the midst of Dementia and Alzheimers. Seeing how this little glass mushroom had that effect and brought back a very special memory was wonderful and it’s something that will remain with her.

Sarah said, “I would definitely recommend a visit to their workshop if you can because their pieces are beautiful. Seeing them in person you can really appreciate how special they are.