Saying goodbye to a loved one is an important part of the closure. It doesn’t mean you will forget about them or that they won’t continue to play an important role in your life. Remembering them and living in a way that would make them proud are two great ways to carry them with you throughout your life, but saying goodbye after they are gone is how you close the book. You can keep their book on the shelf, in a prime spot in your heart, but you do deserve that closure.
Giving the perfect send-off is an excellent way to give yourself and many others the closure that can help start the healing process. To help you plan the perfect send-off for your loved one, use these tips.
Decide Between Burial or Cremation
One of the biggest decisions to make when it comes to planning a funeral or other send-off is whether you are planning around a burial or a cremation. Burial requires you to work with a funeral home and a cemetery, whereas you have a lot more flexibility with cremation. You can bury the urn, release the ashes, or give your loved one a place at home to rest. For a burial, you will want to get in touch with your nearest funeral home, and for cremation, you will want to visit an organization like www.commemorativecremation.com to see and plan your options.
Plan the Wake
While the funeral should mostly be handled and guided by the funeral director and funeral home itself, the wake is on you. When it comes to the send-off, this is the most important part, especially if you are not burying a body or the ashes but instead releasing their ashes to the wind. Book the venue or park, have a big party and then have everyone say something. You should also organize for everyone to compile all the photos, videos, and other mementos they have of the deceased so that every loved one has the full collection.
Choose the Internment
The internment refers to where your loved one will rest. This could be the cemetery plot that they had picked out for themselves in advance, or it could be the body of water where their ashes will be scattered. Regardless of where or how you will want to choose a dedicated spot where you can go and remember your loved one. This gives many people peace.
Create a Routine
Final resting places are there to give loved ones a place to go when they want to feel closer to their lost loved ones. Going regularly can help you create and keep a routine, which is instrumental when you are first dealing with your loss and can help you keep your memory alive later on. You can go every day the first week, and then once a week until finally you only go on special days and eventually don’t need to go at all because you feel like they are with you wherever you go.
