When someone we love dies, the love we feel for them is as real as it ever was.
The feelings we had for them don’t go away. They might feel different for a while, perhaps even painful. But at the heart of our memories is love. I believe crafting someone’s service to mark the end of their life, is the greatest love story there is to tell.
Under British law, when someone dies, you are obliged to dispose of their body in an appropriate manner. You are not required to have a funeral or ceremony. The ceremonial part of the process is there to offer comfort and hope to the people left behind. They are for the benefit of the grieving, not the dead.
I read the eulogy at Mum and Don’s service and it was a privilege. I knew this next chapter was an opportunity to bring what I have and continue to learn, to support others, but I wasn’t clear exactly how. Then I was approached by the Funeral Director of Don’s service, a friend, to ask if I had considered becoming a Celebrant… and so the journey started to unfold.
The Funeral Director and Celebrant or Minister will be your support team and expect you to ask them for help. They deal with the situation you are worrying about regularly. If they don’t have the answer themselves, they will know who to ask. We tend to be ‘brave’ and ‘cope’ with more than we need to when we are dealing with grief.