How to Talk to Friends & Family About Recompose

The template below is designed to help you talk to people in your life who are not your legal Designated Agent. We’ve also included optional prompts to personalize the letter to the person you’re writing and your unique wishes.

Letter Template

Dear Name,

I’m writing about an important topic I want to discuss with you. I respect and value you and trust you to respect my choices. 

Personalize: Include why you value this person. Including details about your connection can give you a moment to remember why this person is important to you and give them a sense of why you are informing them of your end-of-life wishes.

This letter deals with topics that may be challenging, including death. If you’re not ready to read on right now, please take your time and return when you feel ready.

I want to talk to you about my end-of-life wishes. I know this might be surprising—it’s an understandable tendency to limit the amount of time we spend thinking about death. But although it can be challenging, making decisions about my death can also be empowering. Choosing what will happen when I die now allows me to make a difficult time easier for my friends and family and gives me peace of mind in knowing my death care will be in alignment with how I’ve lived. 

Personalize: Why you are making end-of-life plans and why it matters to you to have those planned followed when you die.

I’ve chosen a company called Recompose to handle my death care. When I die, Recompose will steward my body through natural organic reduction, a process that gently converts human remains into soil. I’ve chosen this process because it is good for the planet and meaningful to me. 

Personalize: Why you chose Recompose, what it means to you, and why you find peace in becoming soil when you die. 

I’ve designated a legal agent who will work with Recompose to follow my end-of-life wishes with respect and care. 

Personalize: If it is relevant to the person you are writing, you can name your agent here. You could also include details of if you have or plan to prepay for the Recompose service.

Thank you for reading this letter and for respecting my end-of-life wishes. 

Personalize: If you are interested in feedback from the person or if you’re willing to answer their questions. It’s also okay not to invite their input on your choice. 

Sincerely,
Your Name 

Additional Explanations

If you expect this person to need additional explanation to accept your choice, consider adding a section addressing their skepticism. Examples could include:

• If they are skeptical about this new process
  I know it might be hard for you to hear that I’ve chosen a death care option that is not something you are familiar with. Recompose is a reputable death care provider. The company invented the process of human composting, and numerous scientific studies have proven that this approach is safe and effective. Recompose is a licensed funeral home with a team of certified operators that maintain the highest levels of safety and professionalism.

• If they are concerned about the cost
  The Recompose price is well within the range of other death care options. I am making arrangements for the cost of my death care to be covered either through prepayment or in my estate.

• If they are concerned about the logistics
  I have appointed a designated agent to work with Recompose in ensuring my end-of-life wishes are followed upon my death. They will carry out my wishes as I have documented them with care and respect.

• If they feel this process isn’t respectful
  Recompose is the death care choice that aligns with my values. The environmental benefits and the opportunity to return to and nourish the earth make this a profoundly respectful option. While I appreciate it may not align with your principles, I ask that you respect that this is the process that resonates most with me.

• If they feel this process is not in alignment with their religion
  I understand and respect the death care practices of your (or our) faith. I ask you to please respect that I have determined that this process does align with my faith and what I want for my death care. I’d be glad to discuss why this process aligns with my faith.