Popup

“How Our Dead Family Pet Became A Tree”, by Ben Lee.

Our 13-year-old Pekingese “Popup” died a couple of weeks ago. While she was very old, it still came as a shock and has been something we needed to process together as a family. I decided to purchase a “Bios Urn” to show my daughter and her friends about the cycle of life and create a sense of closure for our family.  We decided to get a baby plant planted in the top capsule of the Bios Urn. 

We chose a domestic and cosy indoor plant, as it represented Popup’s personality/character well. It was healing and almost…” fun” setting up for the memorial ceremony as a family. We printed out some photos of Popup to display and created a sweet space to host our guests. My daughter invited her closest friends, and we invited a few neighbours. When everyone was here, I read a short prayer aloud. Then we took turns sharing memories and stories about Popup. The kids were so sweet, sharing their funny and cheeky memories of our old dog.

Once this was complete, my daughter poured Popup’s ashes into the Bios Urn and added the plant on the top. The kids and adults took turns adding water and saying goodbye. I explained that, in nature, there are no endings. Everything moves in cycles, and this was our way of allowing Popup to continue to be part of nature in a new way. As the ritual finished, we felt a calm descend on the group. It was a beautiful ceremony, and I think the reality of our loss sunk in a little further.

The cycle continues…