Our lives are full of special moments and wonderful memories. When a loved one dies, sharing those moments and memories through a tribute that beautifully memorializes a life lived, provides family and friends with the opportunity to reflect and remember.
Honoring a loved one's life after death recognizes the impact he or she had on the lives of others through their family, work and community involvement. In gathering to honor a life, we learn about the ways in which our loved one shaped the lives of others. It is an opportunity to share stories and memories that helped define who our loved one was in addition to ensuring they live on.
For surviving family and friends, honoring a life also creates a bridge between the loved one's death and the beginning of the grieving process. Honoring a life through a funeral or memorial service provides a social support system for grieving family and friends, eases the transition to a new life after the death of a loved one and reaffirms one's relationship with the person who died. It also provides a time to say good-bye, surrounded by the comfort of others who are also grieving.
"A good funeral gets the dead where they need to go and the living where they need to be."
~ Thomas Lynch