I go to many more funerals than most people.
Since becoming a celebrant, the thing people keep asking me is don’t all those funerals make you really sad and upset? I smile and say not really, and I wanted to explain why…
When you write and conduct a funeral ceremony, it’s a big responsibility and the most important things are to listen to the family very carefully, write a unique ceremony for the person who has died and conduct it with warmth, dignity and respect.
Of course, you are surrounded by emotion and often distress and I spend a lot of time thinking about the life and loss of the person we’re saying goodbye to but it is a privilege to be asked to play a part in the way we say goodbye to a someone and to support those who are grieving.
Where possible and if it’s appropriate, we call some funerals a Celebration of Life and I will blog more about that soon, but it means instead of focussing on the loss of your loved one, you remember and celebrate their character, achievements, loves, passions and what they meant to you.
My wish for you is that if you need to arrange a funeral for a loved one, you are able to have a celebrant or minister that wants to do the very best for you, your family and the person who has sadly died.
A funeral director once said to me a few years ago when I asked them if they found their job hard…
“No, I don’t, because it is my honour to look after people”. I now find myself feeling the same.
Take care
Emma
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