When a loved one has died, it is a time of separation, grief, and readjustment. Coping with that loss can be truly difficult.

Marjorie and Eldon Hoachlander knew that Eldon, a physician, was dying. As they prepared for his death (which came in 2003), they discussed having his remains cremated, then used in creating pottery. It was a way to keep his presence close, and I suspect also a way to celebrate the beauty of his life.

The pottery created using Eldon's cremains has done just that. Marjorie has felt so much benefit, in fact, that she eventually created a company, Phoenix Memorial Art, which has been assisting grieving families find artists who can help them honor and remember their loved ones through the incorporation of their cremains in works of art.

Your first reaction may be, "how macabre", but after the initial shock of the idea, I must admit that I would prefer my own remains be used to create a thing of beauty, with the endurance that ancient pottery has shown as it has survived through thousands of years.

It would be a comfort to my own self as I prepare for death, and I hope also a comfort and reassurance to those I leave behind.