Saying farewell is an important way of acknowledging not just that a loved one has died,
but that they lived.

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Celebrating the life of a person is an opportunity to acknowledge that they walked amongst us, worked beside us, shared a joke with us, partied with us, made us laugh, breathed the same air as we did, drove us insane or made us complete, had a long and happy life or left us too soon, left without saying goodbye or passed away after a long illness.

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A well-crafted funeral or memorial service acknowledges the life of the person being fare-welled, helps us to accept the reality of their death, focuses our memories on their life, and helps us to acknowledge the depth of our loss. It is an opportunity to come together to share grief in our loss, to share the deceased person's impact on our lives, to show our support to those closest to the deceased, and to begin to understand how our own lives will be different now that they have passed away.

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It saddens me when people feel that they have to leave our community to celebrate their love or their life, when it was here that they shared their lives with those around them. Perhaps they met their partner here, raised their children here, or retired here for the laid back beach or fishing life style.

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There are endless ways in which to say farewell and it is important that the beliefs and wishes of the deceased and their family are respected and observed. Whether it is formal or informal, reverent or irreverent, a large gathering or a small event, let me help you find the right way and the right words to farewell your loved one.

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