What's a Son To Do??

I have written about my mom a couple of times in the history of this blog. Mom is a spry 90+ lady living with her sister and brother in law in a small Utah town. Mom is totally independent still drives her car in the small town. She navigates the backroads to her local Shopko, Walmart and the like. Mom fell last week and puncher ed her arm taking a couple of stitched to close the wound and she bruised her arm quite extensive and now she is on the mend and sounding very healthy. So in the course of the conversation I was quite taken aback when she indicated that she was stuck writing her obituary! Like trying to find a word to rhyme to finish a poem. I had to laugh at the moment because there was nothing else I could do. Then mom asked if I wanted write the document. So many things went through mind in that instant I was a bit speechless. I did blurt out “How many inches of space did you buy?” Thinking what a stupid thing to say. Who ever measures their lives in inches? For me that was a practical question. How big was the canvas she wanted to paint.?

I have known for sometime time mom had already purchased he grave site. I knew that thirty years ago. It's not the same real state she has now but I knew mom was making preparations. This felt a little strange at the time but the true nature of end use still seemed way off in the future to me. Then about five years ago I found out she had actually purchased her casket. Again, I knew there were deals where people purchased thir caskets but it was through through their “purple cross” plan and everything was kept at the mortuary. But mom actually bought the coffin on line and the damn box is sitting out in the garage of where she lives silently waiting. The casket purchase was weird but still made sense a bizarres sort of way, know mom she loves a deal. Then about year ago she told me that she and her sister and brother in law were planning to be buried twenty-four hours after their demise. This way they would not have to pay for the embalming and other costs commonly associated with the end of life experience. This revelation came up when mom had a minor stroke which landed her in a rehab facility and it was not sure how well and if she was to survive. But mom survived and thrived and is still around.

Back to the canvas. Mom is 94 years fully lucid is making the final preparations. Mom is not thinking of passing till after June—this is the scheduled family reunion in Boise. She has every intention of attending. She just wants the messy obit out of the way. This is tough. Really for th first time I have to consider that she ill be dead and gone. The obituary for some reason makes the event real. How do I-or some other family member capsule he life into however many inches she wishes to purchase. I am assuming mom will purchase the space in what ever papers she wishes to be exhibited in. Maybe we can turn the writing of the obituary into one of those strange family games at the reunion like the potato sack race. You know which ever family comes up with the best wins. Maybe there will be categories, the longest, the funniest, most original it could go on and on. But, the obit is going to have to be written. Maybe I'll give it a stab least think about it. I may want to get the rest of the brother and sisters in on it. Actually they probably have the document nearly done.