Author Joy Lee Rutter asked this very same question before writing her first book ‘A Disturbing Presence’. Although fiction, with light horror, lots of humor, and mystery, it still raises the question…if we are willing to have an urn containing the ashes why NOT display them sitting in their favorite chair for eternity. An urn, sitting on the mantle with ashes and small bits of crushed bone seems a tad macabre to me, when you really think about it. I fail to see the sentimentality in this strange practice.
If we choose normal burial, visiting a gravesite with their name etched into a block of concrete is another practice that puzzles me. We adorn it with flowers, but we are unable to see their face or feel their presence.
Why do people take their deceased pet to a taxidermist for preservation? It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out. It is comforting to have a 3D visual of our beloved pet; to see his face, pet her fur, and never forget the joy our furry animal provided.