Kapiti News

Why do people still need funerals?

- Adapted from ‘Educating the Families You Serve about the WHY of the Funeral’ by Alan Wolfelt, PhD By Andrew Malcolm Managing Director

We have funerals for many essential reasons. In addition to offering a way to respectful­ly commit the body of someone we love to the ground or to ashes, funerals have been a means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts, and feelings about life and death. Funerals provide the opportunit­y to Gather, remember and celebrate life, the purposes of the funeral ceremony can be summed up in the following ways.

Reality: Facing the finality of death is a profound challenge. However, funerals serve as a starting point for healing. Initially, we may grasp this concept intellectu­ally, but it takes time to seeps into our hearts.

Recall: Funerals start a transforma­tion in our relationsh­ip with the departed.

They shift our connection from their physical presence to one of cherished memories.

As we gather and hopefully share stories, we uncover unknown facets of a loved ones life and witness how they impacted others.

Support: While funerals honour the memory of the deceased, they primarily serve the living. gatherings bring together those who car departed. In this shared space, we try to and support as we navigate grief togethe

Expression: Grieving without mourning ca overwhelmi­ng. Mourning, often catalysed allows us to begin to heal. These services m beginning of our mourning journey and pro start for processing emotions and moving for

Meaning: Questions about life’s purpose and t nature of existence arise when faced with loss. Funerals offer a dedicated time and space to as these questions, seeking answers that bring inn peace.

Afterwards: Funerals help us. They prompt reflec and how we wish to spend our own precious days. Ultimately, these ceremonies remind us of how special life can be, but also of the inevitabil­ity of death, and to hopefully value the moments it bri

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9-11 Hinemoa Street Ph. 04 2985168 Office hours weekdays 9-5 & 10-1

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