i meant to share this a few weeks ago when i first heard it, but better late than never. it's the last part of the "shifting ground" series that aired on npr.

this story is about an 80-year-old woman in metamora, michigan, who's trying to come up with a way to preserve her farm from development and to be buried below her trees. i think burials and graveyards are strange traditions, but i love this woman's idea. she wants her body to one day be hugged by the roots of a tree on her farm, which is the most beautiful thing i can imagine. here are two great quotes from her:

"they have deep tap roots. well, wouldn't it be nice if that oak tree would ever reach my remains, and the tree would take nourishment from that. and it's kind of like, well, i never died, really. i just morphed into a tree or something."

"i wouldn't mind if other people joined me up there, as long as they're willing to be a flower or a tree."