A Funeral for Someone Who Hasn't Yet Passed Away
You've probably heard of the sentiment that funerals are for the living. It's an idea that has been attributed to a few different writers, but is it possible to take the idea too far? The idea of a living funeral, as in, a funeral service for someone who is still alive, isn't exactly new. It was in fact the plot of a 1992 episode of The Golden Girls, although, since this is a sitcom, there was some miscommunication about the fact that the subject of the funeral was still alive and well. It might seem like a strange notion, but is there ever any reason to host a funeral for someone who might not need one just yet?
For the Living
A funeral is an occasion for the bereaved to come together and share warm memories about their loved one who has passed away. It can be a crucial ceremony in that it can be a necessary part of the grieving process for many people. In this instance, you could perhaps agree that funerals are indeed for the living. But what about when the subject of the funeral is also still amongst the living?
A Little Morbid
It might seem egotistical, even narcissistic, for someone who is alive and healthy to plan their own funeral service as a means for getting family and friends together in order to say nice things about them, in what is essentially a themed party. In this context, it could even be a little morbid to conflate the process of a final farewell with someone who has a great deal more of life ahead of them. If you think that the idea of a living funeral is strange, that's because it can be, unless there are already some unfortunate circumstances to contend with.
A Final Farewell
When someone is terminally ill, or at an advanced age, the idea of being present at their own funeral service can become touching. This can mimic the process of a standard funeral service and be hosted by a celebrant at a private funeral chapel, though without the presence of a coffin or the need for a burial. It gives a chance for the person's loved ones to come together and celebrate, and to say all the loving, positive things they want to say, while the person is still alive. It's an opportunity for a final farewell to the person in question, and while the affair might have a sombre tone in some respects, it can also be celebratory, making it beneficial for the subject, as well as all those who attend.
There are some circumstances in which a living funeral can be a little odd, but there are other circumstances in which it can be healthy and beneficial.
