A living funeral is a given for the person in question while he or she is still living. This kind of funeral has a few advantages, especially when it is known the person will soon die of terminal causes. Such a funeral can be arranged to fit the needs of all the family members and friends as well as the deceased-apparent. For example, his or her family members and friends will be able to attend this pre-arranged funeral if it is scheduled so no one will be caught out-of-town on business or a vacation.
A living funeral also gives everyone (not just close family) a chance to say intimate heartfelt goodbyes, and to offer well-wishes for a happy journey to the next life. Additionally, any inheritance issues can be explained while the deceased-apparent and most of the family are present. Furthermore, a living funeral can be a social event or happy time where the deceased-apparent can acknowledge and thank special friends and associates as well as family members for their involvement in his or her life. Yet, this practice is not common. Three reasons for not doing one are listed below.
1. When it is over, it is over!
Once the funeral is done, you will be considered dead. All the goodbyes have been said. Closure will be over for most of the attendees. But it will not be complete for those still close to you. If your will was read then, you will never see those excluded from it again. Also, not many attendees will come back to you and say, "Hey, friend. That was a great funeral. If you have another one, please invite me again."
2 What about your spouse and family?
Your funeral is not totally about you per se. Rather it is about your life. That is, it is about your past, what you did or did not do, and your family and friends. You are certainly the featured person attending this celebrant or mournful event. But, most funerals give considerable amounts of consolation, sympathy, and closure to your living family and their friends. Thus, to a degree, funerals in general are for the living family and friends you left behind.
3. Do you want to be eulogized by others?
Unless you give your own eulogy at a living funeral, the praise you receive there could be limited. Nice things will be said about you at a living funeral in a friendly gratuitous manner. And you will get to hear them with a grin on your face. But, for the most part, we humans generally do not say really good or great things about someone until he or she is dead and gone, even among family and friends.
More information on celebrant or living funerals.
1. eHow - How To Do Just About Everything, How to Plan a Funeral That Celebrates the Person's Life http://ehow.com/how_2032488_plan-funeral.html
2. Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia Living Funeral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_funeral
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