Knowing What You Want For Your Body After You Die: The Funeral

When one passes away, there is an innate sense of finalisation. This is of course to be expected, given the fact that we live our lives and then when we die, those lives and all that are attached to them come to a staggering yet sobering end. After life there is death; this is the natural next step and it is the step that, as a whole, individuals around the globe are generally quite comfortable with (at least, in theory).

In a sense, a funeral is the ultimate way to say goodbye to a loved one and to give them the opportunity to be remembered for all they are. When a funeral service is underway, unless the deceased or someone close to them gives specific touches that feel personal, the process of a funeral service can and does feel quite broad and forced. Have you ever thought about what you want for your body after you die?

Consider what you want to happen to your remains

The individuals in charge of the funeral (i.e. the funeral directors) are charged with most parts of the funeral service, including how to present your remains either in the lead up to, during, or after the funeral service itself. Do you want to be buried and your functioning organs donated? Or would you rather be cremated, your ashes scattered in all your favourite places around the globe?

These might seem like mundane considerations and questions, but the fact is that these are the cornerstones to your funeral service and the like. It is important that you try to take the time to understand what you want for yourself after you die. If you do not take that time, it might very well be decided for you.

Think about how you want the service to play out

The funeral service is the way that your loved ones are going to celebrate your life and say goodbye to you. If you want the service to be small, short, and sweet, then great. If you want the funeral service to be large and sheek, then okay. The point is that if you know the general atmosphere you want for your funeral, then odds are your loved ones (hopefully) know it too.

Understand and enforce your will and testament

And finally, while this is not necessarily an inclusion of the funeral itself, understanding and enforcing your will and testament is important because this essentially goes a long way in assisting with the establishment of your assets and your estate in the event of your death, including who gets what and even what your wishes are regarding several aspects of your entire life.

If you do not have a will and testament in place before you die, that is okay, so long as you understand that not doing so can mean that any preferences you have may not be adhered to to the fullest extent of your wishes.