Jennifer’s Recipe for Peace of Mind
Following her gut to soil transformation
.avif)
Jennifer’s Recipe for Peace of Mind
Following her gut to soil transformation
For Nutritional Therapist Jennifer Scribner, the question of what happens after death had been quietly lingering for two decades.
Not as an urgent matter, but as an unresolved responsibility that kept surfacing in her thoughts. "I didn't think it should be other people's responsibility to decide what happens after [my death]," Jennifer explains.
The seed of this awareness grew stronger as Jennifer watched her parents navigate their own aging process without concrete plans. "As I've gotten older, I found myself wishing more that my parents would actually make their own plans." Jennifer realized she needed to take control of her own plan. "I thought, oh, I should actually take responsibility for this for myself instead of wishing it for other people."
The Catalyst for Action
At 49, Jennifer found herself in the reality of midlife experience that few are brave enough to discuss. "Being in midlife, I really started having the experience that death is blooming around me. It's not for me yet, but it is something that is much closer than it was. I don't want to avoid it."
This shift in perspective helped Jennifer move from decades of contemplation to decisive action. The breakthrough came when a friend shared her family’s experience with Earth Funeral. "The biggest factor for me in selecting Earth Funeral was my friend's experience and how much compassion and care they felt,” Jennifer recalls.
For years, Jennifer had struggled to find an option that aligned with her values. Traditional burial never appealed to her, and cremation raised environmental concerns that "never quite sat right."
Finding Alignment
Jennifer's background as a nutritional therapy practitioner who specializes in gut health gave her a unique perspective on the full cycle of life. "I work in nutrition and I think a lot about regenerative agriculture. I really see the full cycle of life and how we're nourished, we nourish others and how our physical bodies will hopefully become nourishment back to the earth again."
The Relief of Resolution
The transformation from having end-of-life planning perpetually on a mental to-do list to having it fully planned brought Jennifer a deep sense of peace. "I feel just much more relaxed now that I know that this is taken care of. I have my little cards that I carry with me from Earth Funeral. I've given them out to a couple of family members so people are aware."
The psychological shift was profound. "It's just one of those things that I feel secure about. It's taken care of. I don't have it ruminating in the back of my mind anymore. I feel that sense of peace."
A Spiritual Connection to Nature
Jennifer's relationship with nature informs not just her end-of-life choice but her daily life. “I have rediscovered a sense of wonder in the last handful of years—the thing that I had as a child." She makes it a point to experience nature every day, "going on walks and observing and getting that sense of peace and nervous system regulation."
Her most meaningful natural space is her family's land in Central Washington state, a place that has been in her family for most of her life. When the time comes, Jennifer plans for her soil to be spread there. "I just want to be there."
A Message for Others
Jennifer's openness about death and end-of-life planning stems from both her personality and her professional experience discussing important topics with clients. For others considering their own end-of-life planning, Jennifer emphasizes starting with values. "I would always suggest that people start with what their values are and what's important to them in doing their research." She encourages people not to overcomplicate the process and to read reviews from others who have gone through the experience.
Her perspective on timing is particularly valuable for those who, like her younger self, keep putting off these important decisions. "I don't want to be afraid of [death]. I know that it's just the reality of being in a physical body. And I felt more empowered facing that head on and making this choice for myself now."
More Lasting Legacies
A Doctor's Pre-Planning Prescription
For Ryan Bell, cemeteries have always been sacred places of story and connection, not sadness. Growing up in Alaska, his grandparents lived beside a state cemetery where family gatherings took on special meaning.
Growing Together
Stephen’s soil transformation enabled meaningful and deeply personal moments for his family, as well as provided continued connection to his partner Sean, who plans to join him at Earth’s Olympic Peninsula conservation site some day.
Eternal Love in the Garden
After 53 years of marriage, Emily honors Wayne's love for nature by transforming him into soil, nurturing their cherished circle garden and planning a new memorial space that captures his adventurous spirit.
