Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

Just now, one of my colleagues was trying to describe the situation that they were in, work wise. They mentioned ashes and then one of them started saying that the phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" would describe them very appropriately. She then stated, not quite surely, that the quote was from Shakespeare.

I offered that this phrase might have come from the Bible. She immediately said that it could not be, for if it were from the Bible, she would have known, definitely. She decided to Google to see what she could find out.

Sure enough, the phrase was from the Bible, but not really (so in that sense, we were both right). The phrase was adapted from Biblical text, Genesis 3:19 and the exact phrase can be found in the book of common prayers.

Well, I would like to think that I was closer to the right answer but that is only because I watch too many movies, where the cliched opening scene would be of a priest at a funeral, saying some prayers and this would be his starting line. It would pan from a wide shot, probably from up above and zoom down to the people who are attending the funeral, either the person who is crying or the one who is going to throw the rose into the coffin.

That said,last night, I was thinking about my own funerals again. This came about again probably coz Spacecake talked about why her father wanted St Mary's of the Angels to be his last resting place. Coincidentally too, it was during her Dad's funeral that set me thinking about my own, for the very first time.

You see, I am the only Catholic in the family. On the hypotheses that my parents are going to go before me, and that I am going to end up alone, I am wondering who can take care of my funeral for me. That is, look for the priest, make the necessary arrangements, yadda, yadda... .

I think I have it all mapped out like this: I would write in my will and ask one of my close friends (who happens to be a Catholic too) to settle it for me. As I was writing this, I also thought of something else: I might just end up in a hospice, waiting to die or something and the good Sisters there will then help me take care of everything for me.

I really don't know why I am so reflective about death at the moment. It could probably be because the Chinese New Year is coming. Some Chinese believe that death is more rampant when the end of the year is near. It's either you make it pass to the next year or you don't. Make no mistake though, for I am viewing death in a tres positive manner, not so much with foreboding. I feel that if I don't think about it once in a while now, then when?