Addressing your own mortality can be highly uncomfortable. While it is uncomfortable, pre-planning your funeral arrangements helps to relieve pressure on your family and close friends after your passing. You are also able to take charge of small details and create a plan that alleviates monetary pressure as well when you start planning. Involving your family in your funeral planning allows them to learn what is truly important to you. Having this knowledge will be comforting to them when they hold a celebration of your life, because they will know that they are honoring the way you want to be remembered. Here are three steps to take while pre-planning a memorial service.
Put together digital files of your favorite pictures on a jump drive.
Pictures and videos are large parts of memorial services. Often, pictures are blown up or a slide show runs in the background. These pictures bring comfort because they elicit happy, poignant memories. Some of your family pictures from throughout your lifetime may be scattered around. Put your favorite pictures from different years of your life together on a jump drive. This allows your family to create posters, slide shows, and videos with these special photographs easily. You can also upload them into a shared drive that is easy to access.
Create a playlist of your favorite songs for your family to choose from.
Music becomes very personal throughout your lifetime. Whether there is a song you danced to with your kids or a song from your wedding, you will likely want music to be a big part of your memorial service. Sometimes, your family might not know where to start while going through your music collection. With help or on your own, you can create a playlist from your own musical files or with a streaming music website. This allows your family to learn what is important to you.
Make a binder of your favorite passages, and write down your cherished memories.
During your memorial service, you may want to communicate your final wishes to your loved ones. You can create a binder with well-wishes and favorite memories for each of your family members and friends to be read at your memorial service. If there are certain readings, song lyrics, or poems that are close to your heart, then you may also want those to be read at your service. Having this organized early on allows your family to convey your final wishes.
For more advice related to planning a memorial service, speak to a funeral director, like those at Pineview Funeral Service.
