R.I.P: Rent in Peace

I was making conversation over lunch with some colleauges including someone working from our corporate offices whose mother had recently passed away.  We were discussing the merits of cremation vs .burial.  One of my colleagues mentioned that she intends to be buried and already bought her plot outright . She's in her early 30s. She explained that by far she is the youngest in her family and she bought her own plot to ensure in the future she would not be dug up by strangers .

Naturally, we asked for an explantion.

She told us that in Holland, if you choose to bury someone, you can rent the space out for a limited amount of time, or buy it as a permantent space. That way, if the family would like to visit  departed oma  resting comfortably her six-foot under accommodations, they may do so during the grieving period, perhaps a year or ten years...there are options.  Then after the time is up or no one cares to renew, the casket will be exhumed, cremated or perhaps otherwise disposed of, and a new tenant moves in. 

This is yet another example of the Dutch's relationship with the land. It is something to be utilized, manipulated, and shared. It is also an example of Dutch practicality. It's nice to be able to visit a dead relative at a grave site but let's face it, it's a tiny country with a dense population. You can't keep dredging water just to produce more below-sealevel graveyards.  And when no one who knows you is still around to lay a tulip on your tombstone...time to vacate.