[Oe List ...] the pine box

[LAURELCG at aol.com]

Thank you for this wonderful story, Nancy.
 
"My" Fred requested to be buried in a pine box also. As my sons and I  were 
consulting the funeral director, I told them of his request. Oldest Son  
Scott said, "Well, we could build one." The funeral director said he had a  
source in the L.A. area for pine caskets that were usually used for Jewish  
funerals. He ordered it. Someone from the shop met someone from the funeral 
home  at the top of the Ridge Route, and we had it in time for the rituals. 
The  plain box with a split top and nicely turned wooden handles was 
beautiful. 
 
The Time My Father Died is such a wonderful piece of  writing, and has 
obviously influenced many final rites.
 
Blessings,
Jann McGuire. 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 9/6/2012 1:30:25 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
nancy at songaia.com writes:

Dear  Ones, 

The image of a PINE BOX seems to be emerging as a topic of  another story 
... and as it has,  I would offer the story of a "pine  box".  As the day of 
Fred's memorial service was dawning our son Bob and  his son, Mason  went to 
the barn here at Songaia where all reusable and  some not so, are kept. 
Much of the salvaged material was Fred's doing ... "it  might come in handy one 
day" ... Fred's body was cremated so it was his ashes  were available for 
the ceremony.

However, it seemed appropriate for a  man whose whole life had been one of 
simplicity and frugality to have the  image of the pine box as a means of 
burial.  

Bob and Mason built  the burial box with several pieces of wood that they 
found ... they fashioned  it with love, a bit of sanding so it would be 
smooth and brought it into the  house just before the memorial service.  Yes, yet 
another ritual was  immediate  ..... each of the family members decided 
what objects Grandpa  Fred needed to take with him .... a piece of lichen 
(Bruce) , a Kenyan statue  (Bob) ,his wedding and community (silver) rings 
(Nancy), a piece of blue cloth  (Nancy), a puzzle piece (Sandy).  There were 
several other items the  strangest of all was a piece of bread with spaghetti 
sauce on it - spaghetti  was one of Fred's very favorite meals.

The second anniversary of Fred's  death comes very soon, 9/9 2012.  
Although he continues to be missed,  quoted, remembered with his writings and 
stories, songs and of course, his  presence, our lives are full and good.  A 
wooden owl sits high on top of  the gazebo in our Songaia garden - the gazebo 
was dedicated to Fred during our  Festival of the Earth in May of 2010 - the 
owl was found and place on the roof  in Fred's honor .... his middle initial 
is O - for Orville.  Our  community seems to find, create  and use spaces 
for sacredness, song and  ritual at a moments notice.... it is certainly one 
of our most wonderful  gifts.  

With love,  

Nancy


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