Sunday, October 2, 2011

Celebrate Life... Not Death.

Traditionally, when a person's life has come to an end we prepare to mourn their loss.  In some instances, death is a release from pain and suffering - especially when life-long illnesses or conditions have made living unbearable.  In most cases, however, there are actually positive situations and accomplishments worth celebrating.
It is important to remember that a funeral is for the living, not the person who has died.  It is for family and friends to gather and support each other.  More appropriate, but not often thought of, would be a Celebration of Life.

A Celebration of Life has no limitations and is completely open to creativity and imagination, and, may or may not include the remains of the person whose life is being celebrated, but will definitely reflect their life, interests and accomplishments.

If a person enjoyed playing sports, such as golf or football, a celebration could be held on a golf course or in a sky box, for someone that enjoyed the outdoors, a celebration could be held in a park.  For someone that is involved in theater or enjoyed music, a multi-media presentation set to music might be a wonderful way to memorialize the way they lived and who they were.  To symbolize the release of a person's spirit, a balloon or dove release may be appropriate.  To symbolize the continuation of life and the memory of the person's life, making pouches of seeds of their favorite flowers to give to family and friends to plant in their yard might be a good idea.

If a person was very spiritual or religious, a traditional church service might be the most appropriate way to honor their life and beliefs.

Keep in mind that there is no right way to celebrate a life.  No matter how simple or detailed, family and friends know the best way to Celebrate Life.