Loved this piece, brother. It hit home—hard. As someone born in 1976, raised in wintery, agnostic New England, I can attest to these trends just in my life time, by my early thirties. So ten or more years ago... For whatever reason, I have lost many school friends early in life. Many of them former members of our religious community who left the church in late high school or college. I'd say 97% of them have had no religious affiliation or service for their "funerals." One had a celebration of life at our old Christian & Mission Alliance Congregation, but he was no longer a church goer in his own life. On July 4, 2021, I lost my early childhood to early high school best friend. He grew up a believer but over the last 15 years claimed to have lost his faith. Just a few short years ago, he lost his mother to Lou Gehrig's disease. His celebration of life service is being held in a state park (as you mentioned above). While it does not effect my views on funerals, or what I desire to have—a Lutheran funeral mass—it is depressing to see it over and over and over again....