03 Sep 5 Reasons to Plan Your Own Cremation Memorial
When the time comes, your family will take care of your final arrangements, right? Yes, they most likely will. But the simple fact is that no one knows you better than yourself. Planning your own cremation memorial has a number of advantages over leaving all the decisions to someone else. Here are five reasons to plan it yourself:
1. Helps your family
Although your spouse, children and/or closest friends want to be deeply involved, they will be relieved that many decisions have already been made during what is already a very difficult time.
2. Ensures your wishes are honored
With your wishes spelled out, the people closest to you won’t be left to guess what you wanted. This is especially true if you wish to be cremated. If you want to specify that someone other than your legal next of kin be responsible for making your arrangements, you need to put it in writing. In California, this mean making sure you identify them in your medical Power of Attorney. Texas requires it be in a written document.
3. Possibly saves money
Emotional overspending is a problem for many grieving families. By communicating exactly which products and services you want, you can keep your family from making unnecessary purchases.
4. Provides time for you to discuss wishes with family
There is no substitute for open, honest communication, especially on the topics of cremation and memorialization. Several months ago, I wrote about having the “Talk of a Lifetime.” Planning ahead allows you to talk about what really matters to you and what you value most.
5. Design a service that is a true life celebration
Again, no one knows you better than yourself. Planning your own memorial gives you the chance to make it unique. You choose the type and tone of the service. Whether it is a traditional service, party, or scattering ceremony, you can determine the best way to honor your life.
If you don’t know where to start, or simply want a guide to avoid forgetting anything, please check out aCremation’s Memorial Planning Guide. It’s a detailed checklist for making memorial arrangements, including how to get organized, the type and location of the service, who to invite, how to write the obituary, and much more.
At aCremation, our top priority is helping guide families through their loss. If you or a loved one is located in one of the areas we serve, (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Waco, Texas or San Francisco / Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, California), they would be honored to assist you in setting up your cremation arrangements.
We encourage families who have used aCremation’s services and wish to access a grief counselor to call our toll-free number, 877-353-3626, and you wi
