Sitting in a country churchyard in 1750 Thomas Gray wrote a poem which has become one of the monuments of English Literature. In his elegy Gray reflected on the fact that individuals of great potential live and die in obscurity.

The people in the country churchyard were, like many modern people, born in obscurity and died without being recognized outside of their families. Yet, in his poem Gray makes it clear that individual human worth is not dependent on being a celebrity, but resides within in the uniqueness of every soul.

Death makes little distinction between rich and poor. It takes both with little ceremony, and it is only in the hearts and eyes of loved ones that the distinction is made. The body of King Henry VII1 fell into the road on its way to his funeral and few worried about that.

The certainty of death does no even seem to be a possibility at the age of eighteen but as the years pass the mind bends to contemplate the inevitable. At this point many people consider what people might say and think about them when the dread moment arrives.

Funeral planning can lessen the burden on others and give a person peace of mind. Knowing that loved ones will not be landed with funeral costs or conflicts about what is to be done with remains can enable a person who may be faced with a sudden severe illness to feel a lot better about possible consequences of a dread disease.

Particularly in the case of poor families, the costs of an elaborate funeral can be burdensome. Love is not measured by wealth and many poor families get into serious debt through giving a deceased loved one the sort of funeral that they think befits the life that was lived. A funeral insurance policy take out some time before a likely death can assist loved ones by taking care of all financial matters. In such cases the grief of relatives might be keener but so too will be the respect felt for one whose concern for loved ones extended beyond life.

The epitaph on a person\’s grave might reflect respect and commemorate the tenderness of those lovers. There are many epitaphs that go down in history as cruel, ironic or disrespectful comments on a life that was lived. The epitaph on the grave of an auctioneer, \’Going, going Gone! May be light hearted, but seems to have been composed by someone who did not care very much.

Gray\’s elegy has become such a landmark in English literature because it catches a truth that sticks in the minds of readers. Those who live humble but useful lives leave behind monuments that are actually more impressive and dignified than the pyramids of powerful mortals whose efforts to perpetuate their lives backfire in displays of arrogance and futility. In the dusty acres that contain the remains of millions of AIDS victims in Africa or in the ash memorials of Chinese farmers the love that is distilled in memorials is pure in spirit.

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Category: Death
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