It’s amazing, really, just how terrifically buttoned-up Brits are when it comes to commemorating their dead. Other cultures offer us examples of observances, duties, rituals and practices which can teach us a thing or two. We really ought to take them up on it.
One of these is the household shrine. We’ve touched on this before here and here.
Up in Scotland, ‘Honest’ Rob Lawrence makes a household shrine (illustrated above). It comes in different sizes, for indoors ones or for outdoors.
Like it?
There’s something else Rob does which you’ll like. Let him explain:
“When I make a coffin, I save and label some off-cuts of the timber used. We then offer the family (only if they want it) a shard of the actual timber used in the coffin as a book mark. It becomes a tangible connection that one can hold and play with. One such book mark was given to a wee lad of 7 years ish by his dad because the wee lad so missed his Grandpa. We understand this helped a little.”
