Funerals

I've given this subject much thought the last few days and I've made some decisions. If you know ME at all, you will understand.

I've believed my entire life that Funeral Homes and the whole pre-burial process is barbaric. I cannot understand how "viewing" someone's cold, dead, empty shell of a body, laying there in a fancy box, surrounded by stinky flowers, in a strange room.... HOW can that be interpreted as comforting for the people left behind?! The body never LOOKS like they did in life. The person who died is not there. The whole process is morbid, bizarre and disgusting to me.

And so, I've decided that I will never again attend a "Viewing" or enter a Funeral Home for any reason. I will mourn for those I love MY way. If there's a memorial service somewhere (other than a funeral home and without the remains present), I'll attend that. You want to have a party to celebrate the life of the person who's died? I'm there.

I will mourn for you and I will miss you. But I'll do it on my terms and not what's expected by our culture's traditions. I will remember you alive!

When I die, my remains are to be sent directly to the crematorium. Nobody needs to keep my ashes. There will be NO Funeral! Remember me alive, please. If you feel the need to spend thousands of dollars to "honor" my dead body...please give it to a charity that will help those who are still alive and can benefit from the assistance instead! Same thing with flowers....if you can't give them to me while I'm alive to appreciate them, don't send them to me when I'm dead.