Creating Your Own Ritual

 

When we don’t have a funeral we are telling people that we do not want them to support us during our time of grief and many people who have chosen not to have a funeral service, either because their loved one said that they didn’t want a fuss or because of budget or any other reason, have found that they have not had anyone call them, write to them, visit them or even acknowledge the death of their loved one. We have been told by people who have experienced this that it is exceptionally distressing and it prolonged their grief as they were unable to discuss this with their friends.

A funeral service can be in a church, outside on the beach, at a graveside, in your backyard or in any other location that is suitable for your loved one. We at Grace Funerals would like to work with you to create a meaningful celebration that may or may not be traditional, it might even be a small and private ceremony to celebrate your loved one/

The reasons we have a funeral can be best summed up by J William Worden in his “4 Stages of Mourning”.

The funeral allows us to:

  1. Accept the reality of what’s happened
  2. Feel the pain of grief
  3. Adjust to an environment in which the person is missing
  4. Find ways to maintain a connection whilst embarking on your own life

If you would like to plan your own goodbye please see the resources available at http://www.yourgoodbye.com/

In addition, please watch this video or download the “Your Story” book to start planning a celebration.