“Our Days on This Side of the Soil” from The Current, Riverside Community Church Newsletter, describing choosing a plot at Great River

“Russ handed me a small pink flag on a metal stake, “when you find the right spot, just mark it with this.”

With those words, I set out to explore the untamed lands of “Great River Natural Burial.” I passed by the graves of John and Judy Wright. Grasses and wildflowers now cover the spot where their bodies lie, distinguishable only by the large stone etched with their names.

A hawk soared overhead, changing course with a gentle tilt of its wings as it danced with the wind.

Months ago, I decided that the season of Easter would be a fitting time to choose a burial spot. No, I don’t have intentions of dying anytime soon. But it was a lovely day and the wildflowers were blooming — a perfect time to intermingle the inevitability of death with the wonder of living.

I found a spot for my flag at the base of a towering Ponderosa Pine. One side of the tree was blackened by wildfire—scarred yet sturdy—just like us.

We may not know how many days we have on this side of the soil. We may not know how many breaths we have left in these bodies, nor the strength of the winds or fires we will face.

Yet some things are clear: each moment is precious, each breath infused with God’s most amazing grace.”