Life

You call THIS a legacy?

by Mark Rosenblatt

FB Legacy

You may have seen this FB notice (above) sometime recently. When it popped up on my account, it reminded me that earlier this year, I purchased four plots at a Woodbridge, New Jersey cemetery where, as I like to say, “I’ve got family.” I purchased the plots from someone who confided to me that “he didn’t need them.” He was a bit older than I am, and in what I would call fairly good shape, but still. Maybe he thought he would live forever! I was going to question him about this, but the deal was so good that I said to myself, “I hope this guy DOES live forever!”

Yeah, yeah. There are three stages in life. Youth, adulthood, and “you’re looking good.” This guy was merely looking good.

It’s always a good thing to have extra plots. My family started with total of eight, of which only one is left. And I can’t tell you how comforting it is to know that when a family member checks out, among the 1001 decisions you have to make, one of the decisions ISN’T “where are we going to put Mom or Dad or Grandpa or in my case, two younger siblings.”

To many, New Jersey is a state. To me, it’s an answer. Q: “Where is Family Member X going?” A: “Jersey!”

Earlier this year in March, on a very cold and very windy day, Sara and I took a trip out to Jersey to do a site inspection. I wanted to make sure that the plots were … ahem … vacant. They were, and much to my delight, they were no more than a block away from my Grandfather, my Grandmother, my Grandfather’s third (!) wife, and my middle brother.

Works for me.

After I got titles to the plot, I thanked the seller for making my life easier, and I told him that I wished he would live forever. His wife smiled in the type of way someone smiles when you say something nice and the listener doesn’t really understand what’s said. She didn’t look to me like she thought she would live forever. She also felt a need to explain WHY she and her husband decided to sell theses plots. At that moment I smiled and tried to convey the feeling that I didn’t care WHY they were selling the plots.

I told my kids about this purchase, and even explained how great it is not to worry about where loved ones will go after they pass on. One daughter’s a physician. She understands death. The other daughter doesn’t really like to know about such things, and for much of my life, I was exactly like her, and in many ways I still am. I sent each copies of the deeds, but to them, this was nothing more than an eccentric move on the part of their Dad.

To me, it’s planning. Just like when I check out, I want my FB “legacy” (HAH!) pulled down soon thereafter. Two people I know who are no longer around still have FB pop-ups announcing their birthdays.

Great. Just great, FB.