When someone very close to us dies, that moment can be the most daunting experience in one’s life. But as we are grappling with grief and loss at that time, it is also crucial that we find ways to celebrate and pay our tribute to those who left us in a proper manner.
And that's how we arrive at this question of whether to follow the norm of practicing traditional burials or go ahead with the new and popular choice nowadays, i.e., cremation.
Cremation ceremonies: Saying goodbye with reverence
For many people, a cremation ceremony is kind of an opportunity to bid the final farewell to the deceased before the actual cremation process takes place. It allows the family’s close ones to get together so as to grieve properly.
These types of intimate gatherings, which may be organized at funeral homes or crematorium chapels, encompass some of the religious and cultural undertones to them as well as honoring the deceased through a variety of eulogies, readings, and music.
But it cannot always be the case; some individuals who have no inclinations towards any religion do conduct more secular ceremonies, where there is a sharing of cherished times and memories of loved ones together.
Following the ceremony, the body is then transferred to the cremation chamber, where it is reduced to ashes through intense temperatures. Finally, the ashes will then be returned to the family for either scattering or keeping as a memorial in a cremation urn.
Memorial services: Celebration of life
While cremation ceremonies offer us a chance to say our last goodbyes, memorial services, similar to those of cremation ceremonies, have the same motive, but they usually take place after the cremation is done and the ashes are given back to the family of the deceased.
These events can take place days, weeks, or even months after the cremation, giving families more time to plan and ensure their own mental health in a peaceful environment.
It also gives the far-distant relatives enough time to plan their trip to meet the deceased’s family and grieve with them.
Moreover, memorial services are being held virtually in today’s times, such as at some outdoor parks or in a backyard setting. The format is becoming much more flexible, including all kinds of religious undertones.
Scattering Ashes: Finding Peace in Nature
Scattering a loved one's ashes at a location that was very dear to them or where they spent their whole childhood provides a sense of closure and connection to those who are grieving as well as to their close ones. Now, these special locations can include some of the best national parks or sanctuaries, nearby rivers or brooks, or places that hold special significance for the deceased.
Families often turn these scattering events into small gatherings themselves, adding a little bit of their own personal touches with the help of personal reflections and their loving memories with their loved ones. Some people even try to prepare a memorial for the same, like planting a tree.
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