Close to My Heart

My husband and I had made pre-arrangements for our final resting place many years ago. We knew that it was a good thing to do to help each other and our children in the future. We had decided we would be cremated and had chosen a niche at the cemetery. We also set up a payment plan and eventually finished paying for it.

Then I retired. And we moved. We moved for various reasons. One was to get closer to three of our children and a new grandchild who was due to be born any minute. After getting settled, I realized that we needed to transfer our cemetery as well! Fortunately there was a cemetery belonging to the same company as the one where we had made our previous arrangements. So it wasn’t difficult to transfer and then pick out a niche at the new cemetery.

When Rich passed away, my son, Brian, and I went to the funeral home to make the final arrangements. The funeral director told us that we could have two silver pendants with my husband’s fingerprint engraved on it and a word engraved on the back. I had never heard of that. I was just amazed.

We chose “Pop” for one because some of the kids called him Pop. We chose “Sunshine” for the other because I often sang to him – You are the sunshine of my life!

Then I forgot all about them, until my son gave them to me the other day. I even forgot what we had engraved on the back. That time of planning had become just a blur to me. I was in shock. I had needed to use all my strength just to keep from completely falling apart.

So I gave Brian the “Pop” one and I took the other. I put it on my necklace that also has a cross on it. Now I have a cross and my husband’s fingerprint. Worn close to my heart, where my love for Rich will live forever.

Tagged as: blog, family, love, reflections