5 Good Reasons to Honor a Loved One

The most difficult time in life is to face and accept the death of a loved one. Losing someone you love deeply leaves a scar on the heart that will take time to heal. It is always a sad feeling that can be difficult to cope up with. However, planning for the funeral service and memorial service is essential. The family, even amidst the grief and mourning, should organize every detail of the funeral service to give honor to a loved one who passed away.

Every funeral service or memorial service is organized and held for a purpose. Whether the ceremony is part of a tradition or based on religious belief and faith, everyone is expected to give honor to the person. More than tradition and culture, here are 5 basic but significant reasons why honoring a loved one who passed away is important.

1. To Remember the Beautiful Memories

A funeral service in honor of a person or family member is organized to remember all the wonderful memories shared together. The memories of the achievements and journey of life that was are just good enough to be forgotten. The time to be together may no longer happen, but the memories will remain forever in the heart of the people who love the deceased person.

Family, relatives, colleagues, coworkers, friends, and all the people inspired by the deceased person will have time to tell their own stories if a funeral service is held. It can be their way of paying tribute and giving respect to a loved one who passed away. Talking about the happy memories will turn the sad occasion a little lighter and bearable.

2. To Say Last Goodbyes

When a funeral service is held, whether it is closed for a family affair or opened for friends and people to attend, it allows them to say last goodbyes. As you honor your loved one through a solemn funeral service, saying goodbye will be meaningful. Sometimes it is difficult to say the right words even to a mother or father whom you have known since birth.

Taking into account the relationship with the deceased person, saying last goodbyes at the funeral service is a way to start the process of closure and moving on with life. It is helpful to know that the memories of the person who passed away will never really depart but will be treasured forever.

3. To Appreciate Everything that the Person Did

Giving honor to a loved one who passed away is also a way to express gratitude and appreciation for all the things that he or she had done. It could be gratitude for the friendship or for the inspiration or it can also be about the lessons you learned from the person. Sometimes it is painful to recall the past but when you start to talk about what you are thankful for, or when you tell others how the person changed your life, your message of appreciation will flow from the heart.

On the other hand, people who are not open to speaking in front of other people may express their gratitude by simply attending the funeral service. The mere fact that you attended the service to give honor to the deceased person is already a message of gratitude and respect. You may want to convey your thoughts to the family through condolence flowers.

4. To Celebrate A Life Fully Lived

A funeral or memorial service to honor a loved one is also a celebration of life. Even amidst a dignified traditional funeral, you can be together as a family in celebration of one beautiful life. This is the time to reflect on the great things that were done and achieved, as well as on how the person touched everyone’s life. It may mean not seeing each other again, but with a colorful funeral and memorial services, the memories will live on in the heart and mind of everyone.

In some specific tribes, this tradition is practiced and observed in order to celebrate the life of the deceased person. The celebration is not only about a happy and fulfilled life but also about the reunion of the departed soul with the Creator. For them, death is not a sorrowful event but a time to be grateful for all the memories of the past life and for the new beginning of new life in eternity.

5. To Gather Together as One Family

With a meaningful funeral service, loved ones gather together not only to support and comfort each other but also to talk about how a loved one who passed away touched their lives. It is important to honor a loved one and give respect to the person who passed away, but it is also needed to accept the reality. Together with family and loved ones, each one comforts and supports each other on such a sad occasion.

A funeral service reunites a family. It does not have to be an extravagant occasion but it can be more memorable as family members, especially those who seldom communicate, tell stories about the person. Some of the family members may even show old pictures and old objects with which they have fun memories of. The most important thing in honoring a deceased loved one is the inner peace it brings to everyone, knowing that the soul is already at eternal peace and that the memories and legacy will still live on in their hearts.