It can be difficult to keep up with the ever-changing technology. It can also be difficult to determine what will stay and what will go. Consider QR codes… you know those black and white squares just waiting to be scanned, taking you to further information or advertising. The QR code has entered a new realm: death. That’s right. QR codes have found their way onto gravestones allowing family members, friends or strangers even, to scan the code and link to information about the deceased.
The idea intrigues me. Now as you may or may not know, my family was in the business of gravestones. My maternal grandparents, my father and my uncle all spent many years assisting families through the difficult time surrounding death. I can’t help wonder what they would say or how they would feel about this addition to gravestones. I suppose it’s not for everyone. And yet, I like the idea of someone stumbling upon my father’s gravestone and a QR code allowing him to learn more about my father’s life: his story.
This idea proves that we just cannot predict where technology will take us in the future. My dad, who died 11 years ago, could certainly never have imagined this possibility. Yet I think he would approve.
I have walked through many cemeteries throughout the world. I’ve always found them to be somewhat comforting: the rows and rows of history, the strength and endurance of the granite and the gentle reminder of our human frailty. Maybe next time, I’ll take along my smartphone…