Guelph Tribune. (letter)
I was interested in the discussion at Woodlawn Memorial Park of making burials green (Tribune, June 17).
A major reason that I long ago determined that I wanted my body cremated has to do with our burial customs. When an animal dies in the forest, if its body is not eaten by a predator it immediately begins to decompose in contact with the surrounding soil, which is ultimately enriched by the process.
When we bury human bodies they are put in a coffin with thick walls, and the coffin is lowered into a lined grave, so that it must be years before the body becomes part of the environment.
I am aware that for many people, a person’s spirit remains with a body long after death. I believe, of course, in life after death. But I believe that life begins at once. And while a person’s remains should be treated with respect, the body should not be unnecessarily preserved.
Don Ewing
Guelph