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How Do You Want Your Life Honored? End-of-Life Ceremonies that Match How We Live

It can be hard to face our own mortality — so hard, in fact, that many people don't want to think about preplanning their own end-of-life ceremony. In truth, preplanning allows you to create something that reflects your personality and honors the life you lived.

  • An end-of-life ceremony doesn't have to be somber. In the past, you may have attended funerals that focused solely on grief and mourning. Today, however, the emphasis has shifted to celebrating a life well lived.
  • Services can be religious or secular. It may be important to you to include an officiant, readings and music that reflect your faith. However, if you are not a person of faith, it doesn't mean your service will be any less beautiful or meaningful. By planning in advance, you can create a service that celebrates your values, with a celebrant whose beliefs are in line with yours.
  • Tradition can dominate the service or it can be completely unconventional. You may want a funeral in which guests wear black clothing, sing traditional hymns and read conventional passages. On the other hand, you might ask that guests wear your favorite colors and tell stories about their time with you instead of doing any traditional readings. You could also have your favorite songs played. When you preplan it's up to you.
  • Your service can reflect your personality, passions and cultural heritage. What is it that makes you unique? What truly matters to you? When you preplan, you give yourself the freedom to incorporate these things into your funeral service. Whether that means asking for donations to a charity you support in lieu of flowers or displaying memorabilia that reflects who you were and how you lived, the choices are up to you.
  • You can also decide on special aspects. There are many personal touches you can add to your service, such as a video tribute, memory box or a dove release.

It's easy to see how preplanning benefits you, but have you considered its impact on your family? Preplanning is a wonderful gift that relieves loved ones of the responsibility of planning your service at a time of stress and sadness. At Beth Israel Memorial Chapel, we believe in the importance of memorializing a life well lived. We can help you plan a memorial service that's perfectly suited to your unique life and can send a preplanning guide to help you consider your options. Call us at (561) 327-4965 to learn more.