It was great meeting so many people who stopped by to visit us at our booth at the Brea Bonanza Days event. We made some new friends and listened to people share stories of their experiences within the death care industry. It is extraordinary how many people are keenly interested in end-of-life planning and it was an honor to share with them how we might assist them with concerns of end-of-life care, estate planning, commemoration planning and bereavement care. In the months ahead, we will share opportunities for you to attend an Advance Care Planning event in your area. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Just the other day an elderly gentleman came to visit. He had been thinking about creating his own end-of-life tribute so that his concerns for his final arrangements would be established, and when needed, would be followed as he directed. Two and a half years ago he had lost his wife. Until that happened, he did not understand the responsibility that would arise when creating a fitting tribute for the loss of a loved one. He remembered how difficult it was to arrange for the event at a time where he felt most vulnerable because of his emotional attachment to his wife. He also had not fully understood the co-dependence he had established with his life partner. They had been married for over fifty years. In the relationship, his wife served the role of keeping the family finances in order—like paying bills on time, and his role was that to bring home the money—which he did by working two jobs. She also saw to it that all of the little details from life’s experience were met – like planning and hosting family holidays. Together they built a strong-loving family, and provided for them and for their own retirement through hard work. When his wife passed, he was unprepared for the mourning process—a process that many do not realize may extend well beyond a couple of years. One of the tasks of mourning is to adjust to the continued relationship we maintain with our loved ones after their passing; and for him, the relationship with his wife endures. The mourning process had led him to understand that this continued relationship could be fully appreciated in a new way. And so he came to prepare his surviving family for the inescapable event that, one day, they too will be faced with sorrow in the passing of him—their father. He created his own end-of-life arrangements as a gift to his children so that they will not have to bear the burden to guess what should be done to honor and respect him as he wished.
A Fond Remembrance tribute should be as distinctive and extraordinary as it is for the person it is intended. I have found that an essential value for many is to create a personalized tribute that celebrates an individual's life, loves, and special moments. There are many meaningful ways to commemorate someone you love and accomplish this objective.
Keep in mind that a tribute can occur almost anywhere and at any time. For some, the setting would be as endorsed via their religious, cultural, or ethic perception, while others choose to hold the event at an indoor or outdoor location, and yet others choose to hold only an informal event. You choose the option that best reflects your beliefs and the life or interests of your loved one. A tribute designed to commemorate your loved one may include special items of remembrance reflective of your loved one’s talents, life style, accomplishments, or those things that are held dear to their values that demonstrate the uniqueness of who they are. This may involve photos, special readings, and articles from a personal collection, a well-loved piece of music or even a favorite food. Many have found that when ideals or concepts that represent the person are incorporated within the tribute, it will make for a most effective impact at its presentation, even if the tribute is the simplest of design. From simple to elaborate, the possibilities for sharing special memories are unlimited. By remembering the qualities that made your loved one so unique, you create homage of their life, and by sharing through the involvement of family members and friends, you celebrate their life. It happened again just the other day. A client came by to express how she was moved to put all of her end-of-life requests in order. She had lost her husband seventeen months before and at that time was totally unprepared to make all the many decisions necessary to create a fitting tribute within such a short amount of time. She had a tremendous respect and love for her children and she did not want them to have to go through this very same experience when she would pass. So we spent a couple of hours together and produced a plan that detailed all of her wishes. As we progressed through the arrangement process you could readily see how she was relieved from the burden of keeping all the information to herself. Now, she could share with her family that what she would like to see happen if and when she were to pass away. My client felt relieved and more complete than she had felt for a very long time. This part of planning her final affairs was over and she left knowing that she was now going to leave her children a gift that would one day become an insurmountable value. Making a plan in advance makes good sense. Fond Remembrance can facilitate you achieving this goal without cost obligation. For more information on pre-arrangement contact us at 714-271-3688 or visit us at WWW.FondRemembrance.com.
Did you know that Fond Remembrance Cremation Services is more than a highly professional, low-cost cremation provider service? We are also intimately concerned about people that are struggling with the mourning process. Currently, we are developing community service symposia that provides help to anyone who seeks understanding of the tasks of morning; the goal of which is to provide knowledge to empower us to better support those within this journey. If you are interested in learning more about how you may volunteer with the development of these programs or are wanting information on attending a workshop on the experience of grief, simply contact us as info@fondremembrance.com.
By asking the right questions, comparing prices and services, and making informed decisions, you can make arrangements that are meaningful to your family and control the costs for you and your survivors.
For a Loved One While making such decisions is difficult at any time, planning in advance for the death of a loved one can relieve you of that responsibility at the time of death, when you may be emotionally vulnerable. Take time now to discuss these matters and find out what your loved ones want. Be sure to put any wishes or requests in writing. This is also a good time to discuss organ donation and donation to medical science. For Yourself Planning in advance for your own disposition after death can spare your loved ones the anguish of making difficult decisions while grieving. Shopping ahead of time, getting correct information, and planning in advance allows you to make informed decisions before you purchase, and may save you money. Be sure to discuss your wishes with your family. You may also wish to talk to an attorney about the best way to ensure that your wishes are followed. I created Fond Remembrance to provide a way for you to determine for yourself, in a private and respectful way, that which you feel is most appropriate to commemorate the life of a loved one. Please accept this opportunity to become informed of the many options you have before contractually obligating yourself to any funeral provider.
Most importantly, we are committed upon your request to plan and implement an appropriate Fond Remembrance of your design and offer a wide range of options and products to assist you, within a sensible budget. We provide answers and options few others may offer, and remain elastic to respect all faiths, customs, traditions, and lifestyles. Fond Remembrance is your solution to the inevitable task of creating end-of-life tributes and engaging in celebration of those that you hold most dearly. Perhaps you have had the experience of meeting with a funeral director when the death of a loved one has occurred. If so you may remember the many decisions that had to be made and information that needed to be presented in order for the director to complete the necessary forms and legal documents. When I meet with people whom have never experienced the process, they often feel unprepared and sometimes overwhelmed by the ordeal. This is where pre-planning helps.
Pre-planning is simply the exchange of data that is recorded so that it can be available when needed, including choices you make regarding the type of tribute you feel best resembles the way you want to be remembered. For some, it can be as basic as cremation and scattering of the cremated remains privately in nature. For others, it may involve the construction of a meaningful tribute that conveys sentiment of a message that you want to share. People who pre-arrange tell us it is important to them because they what to spare the burden of those left behind from wondering if they are doing the appropriate thing. Peace of mind and love for their family motivate their completion of the task. This is what makes Fond Remembrance of tremendous value. We assist you in the development of a written advance plan. The plan most importantly enables your wishes to be known, down to the last detail by your design. It is a valuable and insightful asset and is one of the kindest gifts you can give your family or those that survive you. It is with complete understanding that making these same decisions during an immediate loss may be difficult and overwhelming to some because the grieving process has already began. While making such decisions is difficult at any time, planning in advance for the death of a loved one can relieve you of that responsibility at the time of death, when you may be emotionally vulnerable. This is where I'll be sharing my thoughts on topics that matter to me.
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