Funerals can be a hard time for those left behind after a loved one has died. Many people think of a funeral as a time to mourn the death of someone with whom they had connections. However, funerals also bring people together to remember a life. It can be a time where to reminisce and build stronger bonds. No matter if you’re grieving or celebrating the person who has passed, funerals are the time to say goodbye.
I’m going to start this article by sharing a personal experience of mine when I was eighteen. When my granddad passed away, I was very upset to the point that my friends were worried about me. It felt like a long struggle to get to the day of his funeral, but the day did come. I decided to be as strong as possible so that I could do my best to look after my mum. It was quite a large turnout, and many people I felt comfortable with turned up. When the ceremony began, people got up and said their eulogies in remembrance of my granddad. My mother cried, and I was there for her, holding her hand and staying strong. However, I did break a little when I saw the coffin, and I couldn’t look at it. I cried but hid my tears.
After the ceremony, we all traveled to the graveyard to say our final goodbyes. Again, I was unable to look at the coffin, but I let myself cry. My mum had stood up front to send off my granddad as he was cremated. Afterward, we all got together and went to the pub for drinks. I wasn’t drinking, but being amongst family felt comforting. We were celebrating. I remember sitting at the table and feeling the weight lift off me as I enjoyed the company of others. I had gone from grieving to accepting. That funeral was what I needed to finish that grieving process, and I actually went home with a smile on my face and ready to tell my friends that everything was alright now.
The experience I have shared is both a celebration of life and a memorial service. Both helped in equal measures. Although I can say that I still miss my granddad from time to time, I definitely haven’t been grieving since then. Nowadays, I think back and laugh at some of the things my granddad did, but I never feel the heartache I did before. I definitely think the funeral helped me a lot with this. It’s amazing what one day of being amongst loved ones can do. I hope this helps those trying to decide what kind of funeral to hold for a loved one.