Why making your funeral plans way ahead of time is both logically efficient and emotionally relieving.
Human beings seek out comfort from the time they are infants. Whether you are soothed by Schubert or spreadsheets, one comfort you can count on helping you sleep at night is making your funeral arrangements way ahead of time.
Right Brains: Read Up on Repercussions
For all you right-brainers out there, put down the paint brush and hang up the phone, you need to read about what really happens when loved ones are left to slap together a funeral service last-minute. Most commonly, the burden falls to the children or spouse of the deceased—the very people who are grieving the most deeply. The list of to-dos grows as the event date nears. Relatives and friends fly in and need to be put up, decisions of big and little consequence must be made almost hourly, and conflicts arise constantly between aching hearts seeking only to do their best for their passed-on kin.
No matter the effort put forth, aesthetics fall short, guests get left out, and opportunities for human connection are missed in the hustle and bustle of “family business.” The sweet and tender moments of remembrance are dampened by responsibility and pressure to perform. The sting of death is not clearly felt until after the services have finished and the dust has settled. This delayed start to the grieving process can be harmful to the emotional well-being of the people you love the most. Don’t make your death an inconvenience and a hardship for those who will be working hardest to celebrate your life by memorializing your passing in the best way possible.
Left Brains: Let’s Look at this Logically
Preplanning your funeral makes a lot of sense. First of all, it gives you total control over what is done when, how much it costs, what it will look like, even who will be in charge. Making these arrangements while you’re still around to do so eases the burden of such a gathering for all those involved. Preplanning allows you to compare prices to find the best service for the greatest deal. Preplanning gives you time to consider all the options and choices that a funeral requires. Preplanning saves you money by locking in prices before years of inflation affect rising rates.
Nowadays, there are many options to make preplanning even more convenient, including preneed and final expense insurance. It really is possible to lock into place every detail of your celebration of life. Don’t risk a tacky ceremony or a half-baked procedure: take control of your life and your death by making the arrangements ahead of time—before the pressure is on to get it done quickly.