Things To Think About Before Scattering A Loved One's Ashes
When you attend a cemetery burial, you'll notice that everything is performed in a specific order. If you've just had a loved one pass away and his or her body has been cremated, you may find yourself helping to organize scattering the ashes. While you can technically just scatter the remains in the desired location, it's respectful to make a bit of a ceremony out of doing so. You may wish to invite a handful of family members and develop a plan for how the event will unfold. Here are some important details to consider in advance of the ceremony.
Leader
It's generally a good idea to choose someone who will lead the ceremony. It's conventional to select a family member for this role, but you should ideally choose someone who can keep his or her emotions under control so that the event can proceed smoothly. If you're having trouble selecting a suitable family member, you may wish to see if a leader from your church or even an employee from the funeral home you used for the funeral service may be able to fill this role for you.
Remarks And More
It's also important to decide what remarks and other elements will make up the ceremony of scattering your loved one's ashes. If there has already been a funeral service, there doesn't need to be a traditional eulogy per se. However, it's nice to include some final remarks. One option is to have people in attendance share a few memories about the deceased person. Many people will appreciate the opportunity. You should also consider whether people will read certain pieces of scripture or sing hymns or songs. You can craft the ceremony to be exactly how you and your family want it to be, so don't be afraid to including any elements that seem appropriate.
Scattering
You should also have a plan for how the ashes will be scattered. You may wish to have the ceremony leader do this job, or you could pass around the urn and have a handful of people scatter a small portion of the ashes. Depending on where you're performing this ceremony, you can consider other elements, too. If you're scattering the ashes by standing along the shore, on a dock, or even in a boat, you may wish to have some people throw freshly cut flowers into the water after the ashes have been scattered.
For more information, talk to companies like Cremation Services By The Sea.
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