Why You Should Write Your Own Obituary
If your obituary was written today, what would it say?
That’s actually something you have complete control over, since writing your own obituary is one of the best ways to celebrate life and leave one last message to the world.
Most people hire writers to tackle their obituary. While there’s nothing wrong with this, there’s something far more impactful about telling your story in your own voice. There are a few great reasons to take this on, and you’ll be glad that you did.
To get some more perspective on why writing your own obituary is the way to go, read on.
You can tell your loved ones exactly how you feel
Typically when a person passes away, their family helps the obituary writer by sharing important information about their deceased loved one’s life.
What if you could go the other route and tell your own story?
By writing your own obituary, you include any details about your own life that you see fit, in addition to sharing some heartfelt messages with your family. For instance, you can tell the story of how you met your spouse and let them know in your own words how sharing the journey of life with them was your greatest joy.
You can tell your kids how they lit up your life when they were born, in addition to imparting some gems for them to take with them in their own lives.
This is also an excellent opportunity to share your life philosophy and explain to the public how you chose to live and what thoughts you’d like to leave them.
Above all, writing your own obituary can take on any tone you’d like, and you can feel free to touch on anything your heart desires.
It Gives You The Chance To Put Life In Perspective
Writing your obituary can be therapeutic and provide some perspective on life as a whole.
Let’s face it -- most of us live day to day without giving the idea of our own death more than a passing thought.
We’re so caught up in day-to-day life, and often are too fearful to dwell on the subject for more than a moment. However, taking the time to write your own obituary provides a beautiful opportunity to make peace with death and recognize that it’s just a natural part of life.
As you spill out your thoughts and feelings into the obituary, it can relieve some of the anxiety around the subject. Ironically, making peace with death frees you to live your life to the fullest.
You’ll Have Greater Clarity Writing It Far In Advance
None of us have the foresight to know the exact day or moment that we’ll pass away. As a result, there’s no guarantee if you’ll be in a position to write your own obituary as well as you’d like due to health issues, old age or other circumstances.
By taking the opportunity to do it now, you can guarantee that you’re putting forth your best efforts and can make the obituary say exactly what you want it to.
Writing it yourself and in advance ensures that you’ll get all of the important details and express yourself with flair.
So go ahead and start working on a draft of your obituary. Doing so is a golden opportunity to make a lasting impression on your family, while sharing your story with the world.
When you’re planning services and arrangements for a loved one, the options and choices may be overwhelming. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel, our team is here to help guide you through this difficult time with quality, compassionate services, and individualized attention. If you’re considering cremation in your end-of-life plans or for a loved one, here are four reasons our team recommends this option.
When it comes to funeral services and memorial services, many people have questions that are difficult to ask. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel, our team is here to assist families and individuals through the death of a loved one with compassionate, informative services. Here are four common questions our team receives about cremation services.
Different cultures around the world deal with death in different ways. Many choose to have a cremation or burial ceremony just like in the U.S., however, there are some funeral ceremonies that are drastically different than what people in the U.S. are accustomed to. In today’s blog here at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, we talk about other beautiful funeral ceremony traditions and where they are popular. Learn more about our funeral home services here at Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins and get help planning the perfect celebration of life for your loved one. New Orleans Jazz Funerals You might be thinking, “Well, New Orleans is in the U.S.!” — and you’re right. But, that doesn’t mean that they can’t have unique funeral ceremony traditions. Not everyone in New Orleans has a jazz funeral, but anyone can request one if they’d like. However, most jazz funerals are held for musicians. In a traditional jazz funeral, the funeral ceremony begins at the church or funeral home and is then led to the cemetery by a marching band. The music starts off slow and heavy while everyone is walking to the cemetery. Once the body is buried and people are on the way back from the cemetery, the music becomes upbeat and celebratory to honor and celebrate the departed. Anyone and everyone nearby are encouraged to join as long as they are respectful and courteous. Eternal Reefs Eternal Reefs is a Florida-based company that has taken a completely new approach to funerals. Eternal Reefs takes cremated remains and places them in an environmentally safe concrete urn. The urn is created in such a way that it creates new habitats for marine wildlife. This makes it so that you or your loved one become a part of a coral reef and help to support new life. Eternal Reefs are a great way to commemorate your loved one and help them make the world a better place. Even though there are no oceans or coral reefs here in Fort Collins, that doesn’t stop our family at Bohlender Funeral Chapelfrom offering a funeral ceremony that is beneficial for the family and the earth. We are proud to offer our green burial funeral service, learn more about it here at Bohlender Funeral Chapel. Burial Beads In certain areas of the world, there is very limited space for burials and other traditional funeral ceremony practices. One method that South Korea has been practicing regularly is the burial bead funeral ceremony. With burial beads, cremated remains are pressed into beautiful beads that closely resemble that of jewelry or pearls. A wide variety of colors and urn options are available. This is a way for the people of South Korea to find beauty from a difficult situation while also making use of the limited space. The Philippines All across the Philippines, funeral ceremonies vary wildly. There are more than nine very different funeral traditions across the country. Some of the more poetic and beautiful traditions include tree burials and hanging coffins. Tree Burials Tree burials are most commonly practiced in the Cavite region of the Philippines. Cavite is located about 10 miles from the bustling Manila and they have still managed to maintain their unique funeral ceremony customs. Tree burials are where the person who expects their time is limited will go and select the tree of their choice. Once the tree is selected and the person’s days are numbered, a small shelter is built near the tree for them to live in. When they pass, they are entombed upright into the selected tree. Hanging Coffin In the Sagada region of the Philippines, coffins are often hung off the sides of cliffs or on the walls of high-up caves. The elderly or sick craft their own caskets by hand if they are able and once they have moved on, they are placed in the casket they created and hung high. They are placed next to their ancestors and loved ones as high off the ground as possible. This is because the native people believe that the higher the dead are to heaven, the easier their journey will be. This is a tradition that has been performed for thousands for years and will likely continue for years to come. Fantasy Coffins Ghana is a country in Africa where people have taken to a funeral ceremony called fantasy coffins. Fantasy coffins are unique coffins that help to represent who the person was in their life. For example, someone who was a fisherman their whole life may choose to be buried in a fish coffin. Or someone who had a love for books and novels may choose to be buried in a book-shaped coffin. These are fun and lighthearted ways to memorialize and celebrate the life of the dearly departed.  We hope that you learned something new and got valuable insight into other culture’s funeral ceremony customs. If you would like to learn more about the funeral services we offer here at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are a family-owned funeral home with a passion for helping people in any way we can. We offer invaluable healing experiences for you and your family through our cremation service, burial service, funeral flowers, and much more.
Planning a funeral can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to budgeting for the various expenses involved. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, we understand the importance of honoring a loved one while managing financial responsibilities. Let us help you navigate the funeral planning process, ensuring you can create a meaningful celebration that respects your loved one’s memory without stretching your finances. Then start the pre-planning process with us today.
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