Recently I attended a young friend's funeral. Her ‘green coffin' was a beautiful and cheerful-looking wicker basket with spring flowers on the top, observes Mrs. M. I think everyone at the service was stunned by this happy innovation which gave a light-heartedness to the mass and made it a more joyful celebration.

I had never seen a wicker coffin. In the shafts of light which poured through the church windows, the wicker basket and early spring flowers created a sense of renewal and hope. I was so impressed by the beauty of the coffin, I can't imagine why anyone would want to be buried in anything else. I'm told ‘green coffins' are made of water hyacinths and banana leaves and are eco-friendly. This is one of the most attractive and practical new ideas I've ever seen. We're all conditioned to looking at gloomy caskets made of mahogany or metal at these sad occasions. This wicker casket was inspiring and uplifting and made me feel like I was at a flower show. My friend Cordelia was equally moved by this joyful creation, which is both beautiful, sensible, and made a gloomy event much less so.

This is a creative idea which could revolutionize funerals. Hurrah!