"The True Importance of Funeral Services"

This conversation explores the importance of funeral and memorial services, why every life deserves to be remembered, and how grief affects both adults and children. From coping with loss to celebrating a life lived, it’s a thoughtful discussion on remembrance, healing, and the reality of grief.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

So wh how why do you feel there is an importance of a funeral or memorial service? Women remembering loved ones. A lot of times today in today's world, um, a lot of people don't really want to attend, even family. Uh they really don't even want to have a service. But not just as part of the grieving process, why do you feel like it's so important to have that service? Sure.

SPEAKER_01 0:31

And everyone is different. There are those that uh with their job, they may know everybody in the county. Uh, and there may be that person that works at a factory and is a loner and knows 25 people, but it doesn't matter who the person is, whether they're well known, whether they're not. I mean, every life matters. And I feel like it's important to remember that. And each service is different, each family night is different. You may have 75 people, you may be uh lined out the door and have 500. Uh, and that doesn't mean that the person that doesn't have as large a service wasn't any wasn't as important as the as the next person. But every every life matters, and um I feel like it's important to celebrate that, celebrate that life. Yeah. And for the family as well. Um, because when you don't have a service, you know, like you mentioned, it was it is part of the grieving process. Um, some people they need to see their loved one laying there as their way of coping. Some don't. They want to remember them the way they were. And there's no right or wrong to that. Each person is different. Yeah. But I I feel like it's sad to just kind of almost sweep it under the rug and um not have anything. It's sad to see to see that.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Yeah, I mean, that was a life that lived on earth that endured hardship, yeah, good times, and that's a celebration, you know. Uh I yeah, I feel the same way. So uh kind of moving on a little bit, talking about the grieving process. How do you think children should be exposed to death? A lot of times, um, especially today, uh, you know, family or parents really don't want their kids exposed to it at all. Sure. What's your thoughts on that?

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Unfortunately, death is a part of what we have to go through. Um, some experience it earlier than others, but we're all going to experience that at some point. And uh society nowadays, you're right, doesn't want to think about it. You don't want to think about your mortality and think about, you know, your your death. And a lot of times it just kind of gets put to the side, and that's something I don't want to think about. But we're all going to experience that. And I feel like with children, um it's something they need to need to be aware of because it's nothing to be scared about. Um, and that stigma sometimes is is there, and uh, you know, don't want to see a casket, don't want to go into a funeral home. And I get that. None of us want to experience this, but we are going to at some point. And I feel like the sooner it is um that the children are exposed to it, that I think it'll help them in the long run and not just in a state of denial. Um people ask me that, you know, and they're there families that um they're perfectly fine with their children, grandchildren being in the room, um, but I see some where they don't even want them to step foot. And everyone has their own thoughts, and that's that's their right. But I feel like the sooner that someone goes through and is aware of how things are done, I think that helps them in the long run uh to be able to cope with things.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

Yeah. Do you feel like early on in your younger years where your father was a pastor, do you feel like that was something that that helped you cope and understand which led you to this career? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Yes, because um whenever there was a family night or a service, I was there. And so I was never shielded from it. Uh it was just part of life and death, and that's something that you had to to go through. And so I I that's I feel like that's kind of where it started with me, and uh I was exposed to it um early on, and that's kind of how it led me to to where it is.