Eulogy
It is customary for friends and sometimes relatives to relate incidents about the lives of dearly departed loved ones.
“Just to pay our respects,” they rationalize. In certain cases this can become burdensome when the departed one has led a life that was far from ideal.
Knowing that the funeral service is directed toward the living; most people will not risk recounting inappropriate behavior and will only depict the person as a staunch, upstanding citizen. The fact that his / her, less than perfect, conduct was well known does nothing to deter their glowing tributes.
In services when no eulogy is performed, it becomes the task of the clergy to speak favorably of the deceased primarily for the benefit of the survivors. This difficult task is intensified when the person is unknown to them. In situations of this type, most ministers will limit their commendations to the promises of a better life as foretold in The Bible.
The eulogy is an important part of many services and some incorporate more than one presentation of the flawless aspects of the person’s life. In my humble opinion, this does more harm than good. To place the person on a pedestal after death instead of reaching out to them while they were living is erroneous; but most of us feel a responsibility to speak well of the dead.
Personally, I would like to think that at sometime during my life, I have influenced someone enough that they would endeavor to eulogize me. Since my faults outweigh my attributes this would essentially be brief. Not the long, drawn out affair afforded to persons of significantly better deportment; but rather an acknowledgment of the fact that there was, at least, one person who could truthfully say…
“I have considered it an honor and a privilege to have been able to call this person a friend.”
Enough said! Subsequent praise would appear unfounded and inappropriate to those who knew of my imperfect lifestyle.
Demijon
After age 70, the things you purchase are not likely to wear out. Dj.
