As you may be aware a couple of weeks ago, I was at the Veteran Speakers Network Retreat where I was inducted as a Legend of the Speaking Profession. They videoed the event and I will be posting my acceptance speech when I get it from them.
At the Retreat, we also had a number of education sessions. While I don’t remember the topic in one of the round table discussions, I was excited about what one of the participant's shared.
Here husband was terminally ill and close to passing when he decided to do something different. Instead of a Funeral after his death, he decided he wanted to do a LIVE Funeral before his death.
While funerals performed after death are aimed to celebrate the person’s life, he decided that he wanted to have his life celebrated so he could hear what people were saying.
They were able to put the LIVE Funeral together in a few days and his wife said it was a wonderful experience for everyone and especially her husband.
Years ago, a friend who affected many people’s lives very positively was dying and I suggested holding this type of Celebration before his death to celebrate him. Unfortunately, he declined and shortly after he committed suicide.
I’ve always thought of how him knowing the impact he had on so many people might have changed this way of dying and while he would still have passed, it would have been knowing how loved he was.
So, I offer this as a possibility of a trend for you to consider of how we can celebrate someone who is dying before they die.
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