Giving My Body Back To Nature
Photo by Callum Skelton on Unsplash
Who knew my body would grow a Lemon tree after I passed from this world?
What a perfect idea!
And you know what? After my body dies, it will continue on to grow a lemon tree and flowers and nurture the soil!
Fascinating! Yes? If you're thinking, "WHAT THE…NO WAY!" Then please read on; it is a brilliant concept!
Years ago, we moved into a house in Spring Valley, east of downtown San Diego. The heat sometimes got intense, and everything grew year-round. We had two giant trees in our backyard, right next to each other. One was lemon, and the other was grapefruit. The roots intertwined, making the lemons almost baseball-sized and the grapefruit sweeter. As a result, both had incredible amounts of juice. So, I learned to make lemon bread, lemon meringue pie, lemon cookies, and mouth-watering lemonade. When birthdays came around, that's what people asked for.
Here's an example of how intense the juice smelt when sliced.
We had a window above the sink in the kitchen that overlooked the backyard. It was a warm summer day, the window was open, and I thought it would be the perfect day to bake lemon bread with ice cream for dessert after dinner.
A buzzing sound came from the window as I cut the lemons and squeezed the juice. Two honeybees were moving around the screen and latched on. Whoa!
I continued squeezing, and then, a third. Way too close for comfort, I gently shut the window, and the bees flew off.
A few minutes later, an echoing buzz came from the fan above the electric range. I looked up just in time to see two bees flying out of the small holes connecting to the light cover! I eventually caught the bees, put them outside, and returned to juicing the lemons, shaking my head in awe. Just by their scent alone, the power of these fruits to move Nature this way is an unnoticed phenomenon.
Since then, lemons and I have had a beautiful dance between us. When I cut into a lemon, the smell instantly makes my mouth water; looking inside, it is perfection at its best. If you think about it, who takes the time to stop and look closely into a lemon after cutting it? But, yet… it is perfect."
It sounds like our Awesome Creator has found an opportunity to say "Hello" uniquely and inconspicuously. I giggle every time I am reminded of this because it is as though this is our little secret. And now…it is yours! Welcome to my world. :)
Photo by Mary Khaliqi on Unsplash
Okay, fast forward eight years; I received a notice in my email about a new TED Talk titled "When I die, decompose me" by Katrina Spade. It was a 15-minute wake-up call, and it made so much sense that I started following her work at Recompose.
You can watch Katrina’s TED talk below:
Since 2014, this endeavor has grown by leaps and bounds. The environmental impact it has and will have on our Earth is phenomenal.
Here is their model…." Recompose uses a process called natural organic reduction to gently transform human remains into the soil. This soil can then be used to regenerate the Earth that supports us our whole lives."
Katrina shares about healing the climate, removing toxic practices, and creating soil health on the environmental impact. She says, "Recompose utilizes the principles of nature to return bodies to the land, sequestering carbon and improving the health of our natural surroundings."
These words blew me away and were definitely for me!
There were many opportunities to serve my community during my working years with the Youth and Nature, and now, in my mid-sixties, as life slows down, I ask myself, "Am I still living my life's purpose?
Following Katrina's work over the years, something began to align inside me. I knew then that when this body who had worked so hard at taking care of me throughout my life breathed its last breath, giving it back to the Earth would be one of the most profound and precious gifts I could give to this world.
Knowing my body will fertilize the Earth and help grow a nurturing tree that will bloom for years to come was exciting. And, if family and friends wanted some of my compost to grow their own plants and trees, I would connect with them on a whole new, creative, visual level. One that feeds our precious Earth and the hearts of my loved ones as well.
In all of this, I think the only word that sums up this very personal and awakened decision is…Priceless!
Thought to ponder:
When has there been a time when you have been stopped in your tracks and have found Spirit giving you a wink hello, and an "I Am here" moment?
Thank you for stopping by and reading. If you feel someone would benefit from this story, please pass it along. It is always a gift to me, and if there is a thought or experience you'd like to share, the comment space below is a welcoming place to do so. 🦋