We make many reservations during our lives.

Hotels. Restaurants. Vacations.

But there’s one big one. The one we don’t want to do. The final one. Our eternal resting place.

Many folks don’t bother. They figure their spouse or children will handle it.

For some, that’s an option, I suppose. And entirely understandable. It’s never easy to face our mortality, so why not let someone else do it?

But for those of us without a spouse or children, there is no such option.

So over the past several months I took steps toward my final reservation.

The first question — full burial or cremation — was an issue for years for many people due to religious considerations about cremation, much less so today.

For me, that decision was never an issue. My spiritual journey is untethered to dogma, much of which I see as primitive and reflecting the infancy of man’s intellect.

As for traditional practices, I’ve always felt public viewings of a corpse are unnecessary and maybe even morbid, regardless of custom. Many others feel the same. They find it offensive. No wonder it’s a fading practice as society advances.

Also, I believe cremation is the way to go. Let’s skip the whole idea of embalming and full body burial. That practice might be traditional, but as my late Aunt Verna once said, “Why would you want to spend eternity in a box?” She chose to be cremated, her ashes spread or buried at a delightful church garden.

Nor do I want burial without embalming, an option only if it’s done immediately after passing. I’ll be honest and tell you my thoughts.

In my journalism career, I had an opportunity to see what happens to a human body after death. Many years ago I covered a savage murder in which the victim’s remains were discovered decomposing in the woods. It happened during a summer heat wave. I was with the body as it was readied for virtual autopsy.

I won’t go into details. But it’s an experience I won’t forget.

More recently, I had an opportunity through newspaper work to witness what happens when three human bodies are underground for a long time, one for 92 years, two others, 128. Again, I’ll skip details. Suffice it to say it was unpleasant.

Cremation is the better choice, in my opinion. Without it, the body eventually turns to ashes anyway, but the slow, bacterial decaying process is horrific.

So next comes disposition of ashes.

Choosing a cemetery can be a tough decision. Of course, some don’t do it. Some prefer their ashes scattered at sea, or buried in a garden, or kept in an urn on a mantel. That’s fine. All of this is personal choice.

But for those who want traditional burial or cemetery scattering, choosing the site can be a dilemma.

Naturally we want to be with loved ones, relatives and friends. But what if they’re buried in different cemeteries?

It happens that way frequently in families, as it did for me.

I gave it much thought. Even overthought.

Family members are interred at Towamensing Cemetery in Palmerton. But some are in Bowmanstown Cemetery and others in Hometown. Ancestors are in the Stone Church Cemetery below Tamaqua. But they lived long ago and I never knew them. Many of my friends are resting in prestigious Tamaqua Odd Fellows Cemetery, a place rich in history and special to me. It was a tough decision.

I decided to go with Sky-View Memorial Park, partly because I live nearby and know the few staff members. Plus it’s a scenic, unique resting place using bronze markers instead of tombstones. I also opted to order a custom memorial bench which the park allowed me to do. They handled details. It’s made of polished granite, heavy and solid.

I asked if I could have a special spot beneath a solid, strong sugar maple in Memorial Garden not far from the front of the mausoleum. It’s where two roads meet and provides an elevated view of all sections of the park and unending expanse of sky. Again, they were very accommodating.

Sky-View is modeled after iconic Forest Lawn Cemetery in California, with towering trees and sweeping lawns. The concept is to focus on life, open space and skies, as opposed to creating a stone yard.

The idea works. The place is a hub of activity, drawing walkers, joggers and cyclists every day. Their energetic presence honors death and celebrates life in a way not normally seen in a traditional cemetery. I know this because I’m one of the walkers.

So I made my reservation to stay there permanently, or at least my ashes.

Understand, these decisions are personal for all of us. There is no right or wrong when it comes to preferences. You might see things differently, and that’s fine.

Have you made your final reservation yet? Or at least thought about it? What are your thoughts? Email me at dserfass@tnonline.com and tell me your feelings. As your friend, I’m always interested.

by Donald R. Serfass