My wife and I went out to the cemetery to take the flowers from her father's grave. When we did, we noticed a new monument. It was extremely tall, and had the family tree engraved on the one side, with a brief history of the family on the other. It was amazing. The stone was a beautiful shiny black granite, with pictures etched and then sealed on the one side.
This left me to thinking about monuments that we leave behind, and the way that we want to be remembered.
Granted, my final arrangements have been made, and they do not include a headstone or memorial of any kind.
I think, if I were to leave anything behind in memoriam, it would be something that could be enjoyed by others. I'd like to create a park or green space, with a small plaque bearing just my name and the date that the park was founded. I would not want the park named for me, just knowing that I had left something good for others would make me happy.
There is this tendency in our society to buy our memorials. If you are wealthy enough, you get a building or a bridge named after you. I'm waiting for the day that Conrad Black decides to build his own palace, if he has any money left after his time in prison.
The prime example of all of this self-aggrandizement is Donald Trump. Trump Tower, need I say more?
Naming something for yourself is the height of arrogance, especially if it is something that you and your family will maintain control of for as long as possible. The true memorial is something you give quietly to the community. If you are remembered for it, then you can be said to have been a person of note.
I'd just like to earn enough respect within the community I live in that I will be remembered, even without my name on some fancy bronze plaque.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment