Pre-Planning Cremation

Whether it is our own eventual departure or that of a loved one, it’s difficult enough thinking about and accepting it, but actually planning and preparing can seem like a lot. Overwhelming even.

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Preparing a Plan for Cremation 

Take a moment to think rationally, which is something you can probably do right now. Do you trust your ability to make sound decisions when you’re not capable of being entirely rational? Consider being distraught, upset, angry, confused, all at once, and then trying to make an important and rational decision on top of it all.

Your present clarity means you can trust the choices you could be making about your own cremation and ceremony. Not only is it easier to trust your own decisions, but it is also healthy to discuss What You Want, or what your loved one wants. Establishing this type of healthy relationship with one’s own life, or the end of that life, can help ease the process of mourning and healing.

Starting the Conversation

It’s important to establish whether you want a more or less traditional funeral; both of which can be done with Cremation. Some feel it is important to stick to traditional with a formal funerial event, while others prefer the somber and ease of a simple memorial service following cremation. This is an opportunity to bring family in for the discussion and engage a few key members and involve them in the process. Whether it is for you, a parent, or grandparent, it can be awkward and uncomfortable to start the conversation, but once you’ve established that now is the better time than after something has happened, it’s easier for people to view the conversation as beneficial and healthy.

Hitting the Tough Questions 

The conversation itself might be awkward, but it can be even more uncomfortable when the direction heads towards the topic of Money and Costs. When we accept and understand the reality of not only death, but of the limitations of our own wealth, it allows you and your family to discuss what options are possible, and what options you prefer. Cremation is far cheaper than a traditional burial; costs vary depending on the type of ceremony, funeral, or memorial service.

Another important decision to have with your loved ones is how you will store the cremains. 

Scattering Urns might be wanted if ashes are going to be scattered. If you decide to do so, that leads you to another conversation: where would you like to scatter the ashes? Do you want small Keepsake Urns for a portion of the ashes, while the rest are released into the mountains or the ocean? Have you considered a Biodegradable or Dissolvable Urn for an ecologically friendly option? 

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All of these, and more, are questions that should be addressed by you and your loved ones. And, although it may feel strange to choose an urn ahead of time, it gives you the opportunity to ulitmately decide what is to be done with the cremains. These aren’t the easiest of conversations to have, but when these things are decided without the pressure of mourning, everyone will be grateful for how much easier the process is in the eventual moment of passing.