The holding of a funeral today is probably more important than ever before.
Although death will inevitably come to us all, in today's world it is a subject rarely discussed and consequently not well understood. This makes it difficult for us to cope when it occurs.
Our modern society has trivialised or removed death from our everyday lives and made the experience of dying more and more alien to us. We do not know what to expect, how to deal with our fears, feelings and hesitancies or bring comfort to either the dying or the bereaved.
Funerals are a way of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings about the death of someone we love.
It is a way in which we can say goodbye and commemorate their life in a meaningful ceremony.
Funerals:
-
Help us acknowledge that someone we love has died.
-
Help us remember the person who has died and to share these memories.
-
Affirms the value of our relationship with the deceased.
-
Provide a support system for the family and friends.
-
Allows us to search for a meaning of life and death.
-
Offer hope for the living.
The funeral can be the single most important external avenue through which people can give expression to their grief and hopefully take that vital next step to emotional and psychological recovery.