Journeying Together
Some of the saddest and often most irritating funerals I have attended have been where the celebrant, priest, or minister, did not know the deceased, did not spend time trying to find out what they were really like, and did not put in the effort to make the funeral personal to that person. Believe it or not, funerals are not actually for the person who has died but for those left behind, the ones coming to terms with the sadness of their loss, who wish to remember the person who has died, so having someone delivering the funeral who has more than just names and dates to refer to, but can actually articulate with feeling the person who is being remembered, is very important......
......This is why I came up with the idea of “Journeying Together.” Developed from the idea of Befriending, which is a form of volunteer support for people who are socially isolated, Journeying Together involves building a relationship with an individual and in some cases that individuals family, over an extended period through regular visits, helping a person celebrate life events, such as birthdays, and helping that person prepare for the inevitable end that comes to all of us. A person may have a terminal illness, be elderly, or just be alone in the world and need someone who can provide friendship, with no strings attached. The person may choose to have me participate in the planning and execution of their funeral when the time comes, but this is neither a forgone conclusion, or something the family are obliged to agree to either morally or contractually.