Instead of a tombstone
By Genipher
@Genipher (5405)
United States
May 10, 2016 4:19pm CST
Okay. I admit it. I totally ganked this idea from iwastesomuchtime.com but, honestly, it got me thinking. And when I start thinking, things happen. Like this discussion.
What if, instead of a big, clunky tombstone on your loved one's grave you planted a tree?
We wouldn't have a field of headstones, but a cool, charming forest to walk through.
With dead people under our feet.
Waiting to grab our ankles as we walked by...
No. Seriously, with all creepiness aside, I would love it if, when I kicked the bucket, my family planted a beautiful Weeping Willow over my grave. They could hang a cute little sign on a limb with all the gory details of my life.
Future children could climb the graveyard trees and remember the people that have passed.
"This old maple here? This is Mr. Smith!" they could say.
Or,
"Mrs. O'Hare is now a Birch."
Or,
"Old Man Bailey is so cool now that he's an oak!"
Birds would nest, bugs would flourish, forts could be built, connecting tree to tree...Whoever originally came up with this idea, well, I think he or she was a genius.
Would you like to have a tree planted in place of a traditional headstone? If so, what kind of tree would you want to represent your life?
3 people like this
6 responses
@polyxena (2628)
• Sturgis, Michigan
10 May 16
That would be a great concept. But the only problem with a tree would be the fact that tombstones do have a bit of history written on them. I myself actually loved walking through the graveyards and reading the headstones, and wonder about what someone's life may have been in the past.
1 person likes this
@Genipher (5405)
• United States
10 May 16
I was trying to figure that part out. The only thing I could think of would be to hang a plaque on a branch with all the relevant information. But then, that would be easy to steal. Or kids would switch things around as a joke.
To actually carve into the tree, eesh, well, it could work but it could damage or kill the tree if it was too young.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
12 May 16
No , because a tree can get blown out of its root when there are typhoons as the Philippines is always visited by typhoons. 
So i still would like a tombstone for my love one , where i can always visit and talk to my love one inside the tombstone to tell them about me and whatever problem maybe bugging me. 
So i still would like a tombstone for my love one , where i can always visit and talk to my love one inside the tombstone to tell them about me and whatever problem maybe bugging me. 
@cintol (11261)
• United States
10 May 16
That's a unique way to think of something, there would be no one going through the cemetery knocking over headstones or vandalizing things and people could really rest in peace. I would love to have an oak as that is what most of the wood in my home is.
1 person likes this
