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Memorialization
Memorialization provides a chance to create memories and to gain some control
during time of emotional and physical upheaval. Since the beginning of time humans
have had a need to express their love for others through celebrations.
A funeral celebrates the life of the deceased. Since early recorded time the Egyptians
memorialized their dead with a rite of passage. Rites of passage marked a person's
progress from one phase of life to another. Burying the dead was a religious concern
in Egypt and Egyptian funeral rituals eventually became the most elaborate the
world has ever known.
Funeral rituals and customs are deeply associated with religious beliefs, but
they also have important psychological, sociological, and symbolic functions
for the survivors. Funerals should take into consideration religious, social
and emotional needs and beliefs. Memories need to be made, shared and experienced.
Flowers are sent, Mass cards are given, food is delivered, hugs are shared and
tears have a special language all their own. There is a bond between grieving
people that is like no other. A funeral gives the opportunity for this bond
to grow. A funeral provides emotional and psychological support.
Death forms a void that needs to be filled by those whose lives were touched
by the deceased. A healthy grieving process begins with the funeral.
While burial is the most common form of final disposition, cremation and the
scattering of ashes has become a viable alternative. Even when cremation is
chosen as a final disposition all the traditional funeral ceremonies and memorialization
can remain the same. The final disposition has no bearing on memorialization.
Traditions based on ethnic and religious backgrounds play an important role
in planning a meaningful funeral ritual. Ideally a funeral should celebrate
the life of the deceased and how they touched the world around them.
"The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what
is important."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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