Consuming your deceased relatives

Would consuming your relative's cremated ashes be your worst drunken nightmare or would you anticipate it as a pleasurable experience? Some people may be grossed out by this possibility. Other people consider it to be the ultimate form of praise or environmentally-friendly recycling. After all, some people would say, the important thing is to "get back to nature" one way or another.

Earlier this week, Rolling Stones musician Keith Richards admitted snorting some of his father's ashes with his cocaine. As a known drug addict, he supposedly did it as a sort of dare he gave himself while high as a kite. He felt fine afterwards and doesn't think his father would've cared. Richards explains "I have no pretentions about immortality." The question is, even if you don't regularly ingest drugs, would you snort a cremated parent? Would your parent mind if you did? Maybe you hadn't considered this idea before. You may wish to put the idea on the backburner.

I asked friends if they had any related experiences. One woman told a story about a Hungarian family she knows. Part of this family escaped during Communist times and settled in America.  They prepared parcels of food which they regularly shipped via post to help the remaining family cope back in Hungary. When father died while in America, the rest of the Hungarian-American family had him cremated and sent his ashes back with a note in the food parcel so that he could be buried in the "old country," as was his dying wish. The note was apparently lost. A reply letter to America described the "bitter-powdered soup" as creamy in milk and they questioned holes in its plastic bag.

If you feel inseparable from a loved one or relative, this may be the ultimate way to merge into one. Yet, other people may regard you as tasteless or even sacriligous. Would digesting a relatives' ashes be a stunt to get attention or better reserved for the ultimate private moment to say farewell? Different actions or no action will alleviate your anxiety. Don't take my word for it. Decide which camp your in. Sometimes beliefs lead one to take drastic steps. Which is best for you? Leave ashes as ashes or make wet dust your way.