Planning Ahead

Not many of us are brave enough, or organized enough, to plan for our own deaths.

But for those who are ... what a gift you give to your families.

Among the areas that you'll want to consider are:

• Making your Will

• A Living Will or Healthcare Directive

• Organ donation

• Bequeathal of your body

• Whether or not to prepay your expenses

• Memorial Society membership

• What arrangements you'd like at your service

• A family conference, to share your requests

• Organizing your finances and paperwork

Play it again, Sam

Once you get beyond the natural fear of death, you can all start to have some fun with the planning.

At our first family conference, I led off by saying, "I don't want organ music. I hate organ music!"

And Dad said, "Me too, and I want a saxophone at my funeral."

"A saxophone!" my mother and I shouted.

"That's right. You know, I played the clarinet when I was young, but I've always loved the saxophone. I want it playing that song they played on the ship when we sailed to Alaska. What was it? Ah yes, 'Up the Lazy River'."

Well, when Dad died last October, we made sure to have a saxophone playing Up the Lazy River. (Probably the first — and last — time you'll ever hear that sound in Dad's Catholic church.)

Of course, it never would have occurred to us on our own. If we hadn't gotten together to discuss these 'morbid' plans, we'd never have thought of this delightful way to celebrate my father's joy for living.

Saying Goodbye with Love

Does this describe you?

• You have just lost (or are soon to lose) someone you care about very much.

• You are faced with having to organize an event of great emotional significance -- the funeral -- at a time when you are under enormous stress.

• You are determined to honour this person you've loved in a very special way ... and you aren't sure where to begin.

• You are overwhelmed with all the practical, legal, and financial decisions arising out of this death ... all of which are now on your shoulders.

For lots of good information and guidance, you might want to have a look at my downloadable eBook, Saying Goodbye with Love.