Susan Fraser

About 25 miles outside of Atlanta, a large stone monolith stands alone. It’s more than 800 feet tall and about five miles in diameter. For thousands of years, Stone Mountain has been a site of human curiosity. On top, there are walls that were built up to 2,000 years ago.

Now, when people go to visit Stone Mountain Park, they come to see a variety of things. Among them is a massive sculpture carved directly into the granite. This sculpture, which features prominent
Confederate officials, has been a trigger point for white nationalism for decades. More recently, anti-racist groups have called for the sculpture to come down. But it’s not that simple. How does one bring down a sculpture as large as a mountain?

A Century of White Supremacy Set in Stone

Georgia was one of the original seven states to secede from the U.S. as part of the Confederacy. Its participation was laden with struggle, as the state’s governor was often at odds with Confederate

Why do we create whole buildings dedicated to people who died? Why do we recite speeches of people who lived hundreds of years ago? And how do we determine who deserves it? All societies have a way of remembering the dead. From the stone cairns of Highland Scotland to the pyramids of the Ancient Egyptians, we respect those who came before us.

And yet, we don’t remember everyone. In fact, we can be very good at erasing the histories of people we perceive as beneath us or threats to our own lives. At the moment, this tendency is coming back to haunt us. We can no longer lift up the lives of some without a long, hard look at their legacy. After all, some of those memorialized in statue would be condemned as murderers in the present day.

The trouble is that once laid to rest, the past does not tend to remain in peace. People must reckon with their choices, particularly those in a position of privilege. It is a painful experience for everyone, but a necessary one. The result

The beginning of a new year tends to be a time for planning. People line up their New Year’s resolutions and think about what they want to happen throughout the year. But whatever people might have expected for 2020, it’s been different. Few could have anticipated a worldwide pandemic that would sweep from country to country, leaving tens of millions fighting for their lives and hundreds of thousands dead. And in the absence of a vaccine or effective treatments, experts say this is only the beginning.
Social distancing seems to be the order of the day, or more likely for the next year. But it’s reaching into unexpected parts of people’s lives, particularly the way that they handle grief. Usually, coping with the loss of a loved one involves sharing the experience with family and friends. The virus has made this part of the process so much more complicated. Families are looking for ways to connect and keep sending love. This is true for those who are hospitalized, hundreds of miles away,

Every year, Americans gather on the fourth of July to celebrate a particular part of United States history. On this day in 1776, the Founding Fathers of the country signed a document declaring their independence from the British. For many people, it’s an opportunity to remember that building a completely new system of government is hard work. For others, it’s a good excuse to have a party.
Of course, 2020 didn’t put social gatherings on our bingo cards. Instead, we get disease and political divisions that threaten to split us for good. This year, it’s a great time to visit what independence really means to each one of us. By looking at all the events that have happened in the past several months, we can rethink how we value life, how we decide whose legacy to elevate, what that means for those who go before us, and what it means for those of us still here.

A Year on the Brink of War

If 2020 has felt like the U.S. could go to war with almost anyone, it’s easy

Cremation continues to grow in popularity as a way to handle the remains of a loved one . People like the simplicity and finality cremation offers, but they are often left wondering how to deal with the remaining ashes. Some sprinkle the ashes over special places and many others will choose to keep a beautiful urn as a memorial to their loved one. Recently, a trend for cremation diamonds has given people another way to keep and value their loved one’s cremains.

Are Cremation Diamonds Really Made from Ashes?

Yes. Reputable companies that are producing cremation diamonds are very clear that these diamonds are made directly from the ashes of your loved one. The process takes just over one pound of ash to create a diamond up to a carat in size. The ash is placed under considerable pressure for days until the diamond forms. The diamonds will vary in size and color, which is partially controlled by the compression process and duration. The ashes are refined

Feeling like the standard options for memorials are a little ho-hum? Worried that everything has already been done to death? It’s time to break out of the box with some creative cremation ideas. What if cremated remains could be up above, bright as the sun, close to the heart or moving at thousands of miles an hour? They can. And families can enjoy the thought that their loved ones can be part of a memorial unlike any other. Here’s five choices that are way beyond the ordinary.

1. Mix Ashes and Fireworks for an Unforgettable Display

Some people come in with a bang, and their families would like to help them go out in the same way. Fireworks displays are an important part of celebrations for many cultures worldwide. Having the ability to mix some cremated remains in with the fireworks for an explosion of brightness and life creates an unexpected delight for families in the midst of grief. Since memorial services are designed to feature just about anything, people can

The year was 1746. Many Scottish families know it well. This year, and the Jacobite Rebellion that failed to return rule of Britain to the Scottish Stuarts, put an end to the centuries-old system of clan rule in Scotland. Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, was beheaded for his involvement in the conflict. As the old man stood before the block at Tower Hill in London, he repeated that popular line about dying for one’s country. Most of all, he was proud to die for his family. But then, the Frasers of Lovat had always been on the front lines for the security of their kin. This most famous of Frasers, nicknamed the “Old Fox,” held outspoken views about the importance of family. According to Scottish law at the time,

Updated on 11/13/2020

Designing the perfect ceremony for scattering ashes takes time and thought. Ashes can be scattered in all kinds of areas. From the top of a mountain to the beach, or from a home garden to a beautiful lake. Each ceremony tells a story about the person whose ashes are released into the ground, water or air. Urns for scattering offer the ideal complement to a once-in-a-lifetime chance to say goodbye.

These suggestions for scattering ceremonies offer families inspiration in building their own unique sendoff.

Campfire Scattering Ceremony Ideas

Many traditional campfire ceremonies follow the natural course of the fire. After all, a bonfire is not unlike life itself. In the beginning, they

Each life is a story. We believe that every urn can and should be able to tell that story, using graphics, pictures and text. With our exclusive Keep The Memory® line of cremation urns, we make it easy for our customers to design a tale of love that they can see every time they look at the urn.

Choosing the Perfect Image

When a person passes on, it is quite common for the grieving friends and family members to bring photographs of a loved one. This is a wonderful opportunity to cry, laugh and share memories of the person throughout their life. This common part of the memorial process is what made us think of the Keep The Memory®