Memorial Services: Creating the Best Eulogy

Creating a eulogy can be a difficult task. It can be pretty emotional dealing with the loss of a loved one. You will find that you must deal with all the stages of grief associated with their death added to the normal stresses of everyday life. So, how will you be able to find the time, let alone the strength to properly memorialize the life of your loved one during this most difficult time? It is not the easiest thing to do, but if you follow these tips, it may be a little less difficult than you think.

Start as soon as you can. Death does not follow a timeline, and most of us will not be prepared for the possibility. However, if you are a friend or family member of someone older or may be in bad health, it does not hurt to be prepared and jot something down before their death. For most of us, this may seem a little too morbid, but if you feel comfortable with this and like to always be prepared, then it is best to start early. If you are not as comfortable or do not wish to do this, you should be prepared to write something down as soon as possible. 

Ask for help. Reach out to those closest to the deceased and ask them to share their favorite memories and stories of the deceased. You should take notes to ensure that you do not forget anything important. They could possess details about your loved one’s life that you did not know and cannot wait to share with others. It is also possible that their stories could even help you process and get through some of your own grief. Remember you can use these notes not only to help you write the best eulogy but to also remember some of the best times involving your loved one.

Personalize it and make it positive. You will want your eulogy to reflect who the person was. Try to avoid focusing on things like their job but do focus on the things they enjoyed. Their achievements and accomplishments should also be stated but try to remember to include fond memories and stories about your loved one. Remember funerals can hold a negative connotation for some, so please try to avoid anything negative. Rely on statements and stories that show how much your loved one cherished and enjoyed their life. It is best not to mention any of the bad times they may or may not have had.

Keep a notebook. You should always try to write down everything you can about your loved one, which means keeping a notebook near you at all times because you never know when a memory will pop up. You will also need a place to keep all of the stories friends and family shared with you and any thoughts or ideas you may come up with about your loved one. Everything you may need or want to include in the eulogy should be written down in your notebook to ensure you do not forget to include something important in the eulogy.

Practice, practice, practice. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. A eulogy can be a difficult and an extremely emotional speech for most. You must take the time needed to do a practice run through your eulogy to make certain that you can easily and safely say the things you want and need. It is completely normal to become emotional during these practice speeches. The more you practice the easier it should become to get through the entire speech on the day of the funeral.

It can be so stressful and emotional when you are dealing with the death of a loved one. When you add the grief of losing someone with the task of having to write their eulogy, it may seem close to impossible. It is difficult having to drown in all that emotion but also wanting so badly to properly memorialize the person you loved. It will be extremely difficult to successfully accomplish this daunting task, but hopefully, by following some of the tips above, you will find yourself creating the best eulogy for your loved one.