NAPSTV's video: Planning to be in a better place

My name is Denise Carter and I’m here with my family today. We had heard about Better Place Forest and the idea of it was so beautiful. When we first heard about the concept of having your loved ones ashes actually grow up into a redwood tree, we thought what a beautiful memorial, what a wonderful way to have our loved ones live on. And the setting is so incredibly beautiful and peaceful it’s just the idea of it is very calming. We talked among ourselves as a family and I talked to my dad about it and we had been to a cemetery where his parents were, it just didn’t seem right that they tried to squeeze us in a little tiny corner of the plot there. So he loved the idea. And not really being here before, we didn’t know how it was going to work. When my family and I have approached other memorial opportunities or options, they have the cemetery, cremation, having people be released in the ocean, all those have their own lovely qualities but somehow this seemed more beautiful to us. Also, the idea that they’ll be conserving this forest with the funds, that they’ll be in a sense renewing over time and so we’re actually going to be saving a forest that normally might not be saved. When we were kids we would go to the redwood forest in the Santa Cruz area and it was a time for the family to be together. And so walking through the forest today, was like visiting a time that was so happy in our lives, and it was quiet and beautiful and the ferns and the floor of the path was so quiet when we walked, it was very, very peaceful. When my family and I went through today, we talked about the sun being in a certain place or where we would sit and visit, perhaps have a little picnic with our ancestor, and there was a sense of joy about that and I am very happy to know that I’m gonna be here in years to come. My loved ones that have already passed are going to be here. And I love it that the family is going to be here and gather in times ahead. And there’s something about having things settled ahead of time, that pretty much gives everybody in the family peace of mind.