Talk About Your Funeral Wishes

 

Since being diagnosed with cancer twice and becoming a funeral celebrant, I have reflected much recently on my own mortality. I do not belong to any faith or religious group but do believe that our soul lives on. I question how this might be so and have considered re-incarnation – or perhaps it just lives on through the people you love and the legacy you leave behind. 

 

Death and dying is still very much a taboo subject here in the UK. I encourage everyone I meet to openly talk about their feelings and to consider their own funeral wishes. It disappoints me when people say that they do not want a funeral for themselves. Having conducted many funerals, I see how the funeral helps to bring some closure and acceptance to families and is an important part of the grieving process. Indeed, I feel that the funeral is for those who are living, not for those who are dead. 

 

I believe very much in celebrating a person’s life as well as mourning a death. It is important to acknowledge a person’s achievements, their qualities, their legacy. It is sad when I go to visit families who do not often know all of a person’s life story. Many times I get told when I conduct a funeral that a people have learnt something new about the deceased! 

 

It is so important for people to communicate their funeral wishes to their family. This causes the family much less stress at a time when they are grieving and avoids them having to make difficult decisions when their minds are not in a good place. 

 

For my own ‘celebration of life’, I would like people to talk about how I have helped them, what differences I have made. I would like everyone to wear bright colours and for there to be lots of flowers. I would like a pink glittery coffin as this reflects my personality. I would like the funeral venue, including the service, to be conducted at Beverley Barn and then for my body to go for cremation. I would like the following piece of music to exit by and for everyone to have a sway and a sing to it as they leave! (Together In Electric Dreams – Phil Oakey and Giorgio Moroder.) 

 

Talk to someone about your funeral wishes 

 

Photo taken from www.theglittercoffincompany.co.uk 

I hope this information helps, please contact me if you have any further questions. Take care and stay safe.