Pathways FA25 DIGITAL Magazine

GREEN NEWS & VIEWS

POWER OF POETRY

Here and Now (and After)

practices that seal bodies away from decomposition, natural burials embrace our return to the soil, turning our passing into new life. As more people learn about this path, they discover it’s not just about the environment. ,W¶VDERXWPHDQLQJOLYLQJDQG dying in alignment with our values. The Orchard Speaks Walk the orchard paths and you’ll hear the wind move through pecan leaves, the soft

BY SCOTT THOMAS OUTLAR Bury my bones beneath the dirt where trees once towered EHIRUHFLYLOL]DWLRQWRRNKROG

When the time comes, let my remains bathe naked in the soil; no casket, no box, no boundaries except the caress of earth itself. 'DQFHDQGVLQJ atop the plot ZKHUH,¶PODLGWRUHVW and make merry at a funeral ¿OOHGZLWKODXJKWHU

crunch of soil beneath your feet, the whisper of trees that have seen generations come and go. Somewhere nearby, a new tree may be growing over a loved one’s resting place, turning memory into nour- ishment. 7KHUH¶VDSHDFHKHUHWKDWFDQ¶WEHIDNHG,WFRPHVIURPEHLQJLQULJKW relationship — with the land, with each other, and with the inevitable F\FOHZHDOOVKDUH,QWKLVRUFKDUGGHDWKLVQRWWKHHQG,WLVVLPSO\ part of the story. Other Green Burial Grounds in the DMV For readers exploring natural burial, here are a few oth- HU JUHHQ EXULDO VLWHV LQ WKH '& 0DU\ODQG DQG 9LUJLQLD DUHD ‡5HÀHFWLRQ3DUN6LOYHU6SULQJ0' KWWSVUHÀHFWLRQSDUNRUJ  ‡6HUHQLW\5LGJH:LQGVRU0LOO0' ZZZVHUHQLW\ULGJHPGFRP ‡&HGDU+LOO1DWXUDO%XULDO6HFWLRQ6XLWODQG0' ZZZPHPRUL - DOSODQQLQJFRPORFDWLRQFHGDUKLOOIXQHUDOKRPHDQGFHPHWHU\  ‡&RQJUHVVLRQDO&HPHWHU\¶V*UHHQ%XULDO6HFWLRQ:DVKLQJWRQ'& KWWSVFRQJUHVVLRQDOFHPHWHU\RUJFLUFOHRIOLIH  • Cool Spring Natural Cemetery - Berryville, VA (www.virginiatrap- SLVWVRUJFHPHWHU\  ‡'XFN5XQ1DWXUDO&HPHWHU\3HQQ/DLUG9$ ZZZGXFNUXQFHPH - WHU\FRP  • Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve - Charles Town, WV ZZZQDWXUDOEXULDORUJ  (DFKVLWHKDVLWVRZQVWRU\EXWDOOVKDUHWKHVDPHYLVLRQR̆ HULQJD UHWXUQWRWKHODQGDQGD¿QDOJLIWWRWKHHDUWK 0LFKDHO-XGGLVWKHFRIRXQGHURI0RUULV2UFKDUG1DWXUDO%XULDO DQG6LOYR&XOWXUHDQRQSUR¿WZKRVHPLVVLRQLVWRKHOSSODQWPLO - OLRQ QXW WUHHV DFURVV WKH 0LG$WODQWLF %OHQGLQJ DJURIRUHVWU\ FRQ - VHUYDWLRQDQGFRPPXQLW\DFWLRQKLVZRUNUHJHQHUDWHVODQGVFDSHV ZKLOHQRXULVKLQJIXWXUHJHQHUDWLRQV0LFKDHOOLYHVZLWKKLVIDPLO\LQ WKHIRRWKLOOVRIWKH%OXH5LGJH0RXQWDLQVQHDU)UHGHULFN0DU\ODQG ZZZPRUULVRUFKDUGQDWXUDOEXULDOFRP

But until that fateful day arrives, let our eyes ÀRZZLWKWHDUVRIMR\ let our tongues tease out prayers of peace, let our lips shout words of love, and let our lives be spent

making the most of every moment with which we’re blessed.

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PATHWAYS—Fall 25—23

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