Celebrate Our Lives

My Services ... Of Loss and Planning

Funerals and Memorial Service Planning

I would be honoured to assist you in arranging a personalised funeral or memorial service that pays tribute and honours the life of your loved one.
I can help you to create a meaningful, memorable, fitting end of life tribute that reflects the needs, beliefs and values of your loved one and his/her family. I use my knowledge and experience to help guide families in this preparation and take any extra stress out of the process. I will deliver the ceremony with compassion and sincerity.
I will celebrate the life of your loved one. I use a high quality wireless portable PA system and am able to play music requested. I also can help with ideas for the set up of the ceremony area and provide items such as easel for a photo board, table for use as a memory table, and decorations. I always prepare a package of the ceremony wording for family members to keep in hard copy and in digital form if they need to distribute to family and friends. To help families transition through their darkest hour is a blessing and a privilege
 My Planning Information includes:Eulogy preparation guidancePoems, readings, prayers, rituals and music ideasScattering of Ashes informationGrief and Bereavement Support informationAustralian Federation of Civil Celebrants (AFCC) Funeral Resources
About

The Eulogy and Ceremony Inclusions ...

What is the Eulogy? The eulogy is the personalised speech or presentation during the funeral or memorial ceremony that talks about the life and character of the person who has died. It include memories and anecdotes of the person’s life and also tries to capture personality. The eulogy acknowledges the unique life of this person and affirms the significance of that life for all who shared in it, a time to share memories.
It can include the person’s life history in a chronological and detailed way, or can be a few highlights from each stage of life.
You can have more than one person read the Eulogy. It is up to you how many to choose, but find a balance, chose people from different areas of interest.
It is often nice to give an invitation for others to speak spontaneously, but it is difficult to determine what may be said and the time they may want to speak for.As a guide, the Eulogy is usually approximately 900 words per 5 minutes.
Ceremony Inclusions:Don't worry, I will send you with a list of what I need to help with ceremony inclusions, in particular:• The number of songs needed and for what part of the ceremony (artist and version needed)• Ideas around music choice• The number of poems/readings possibly needed, and whom might read them• Eulogy planning information
This link will give you a document you can use in preparation ...
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Life Story and Pre-Funeral Ceremony Planning

I am so very passionate about acting now before your final farewell.
I can help support you too prepare: a personal and meaningful tribute to honour your life… so a record of your life is kept.
PLAN PLAN PLAN….. WHILST YOU CAN…..PLANNING IS A PRECIOUS GIFT
PLAN YOUR OWN CEREMONY BEFORE YOUR FINAL FAREWELL…THE CELEBRATION OF YOUR OWN LIFE…
So when is the best time to get started? Now, as we do not know when our time is up! Review your life- “the good, the bad and the ugly”.
A written life story can go on to help a loved one prepare a eulogy.
Taking care of life’s last passage not only honours you, but benefits everyone.
It spares your loved ones from difficult decisions, when they are emotionally distressed trying to cope with your loss, when it is often hard to remember things that are required.
Even if you have contacted a funeral director and pre-paid your funeral, this planning can be an add on, to be sure your ceremony is as you really want it, how you want to be remembered in life.
So you can relax and get on with life, knowing that when the time comes, you have plans in place.
I have developed thorough documents to assist with my preparation and final presentation:"Pre-Funeral Ceremony Planning" Document"My Life Story" DocumentPresentation album options The Celebrants Network BrochuresMy Funeral Service Wishes (from the Funeral Celebrants Association Australiahttp://www.funeralcelebrants.org
My friend's farewell
I was very honoured and humbled to be a part of the celebration of one of my dear friend’s life. She showed amazing courage in preparing her life story and her funeral ceremony with me whilst she could.Working with her family and friends before and after her passing, and designing and delivering her funeral ceremony was such an absolute honour. Joining the family to deliver the ceremony at the Crematorium and then for the Scattering of her Ashes Ceremony was a further tribute to her life which will be remembered by all.
My father's life story
I have used my father as my “guinea pig” so to speak, and I have prepared his “life story and his pre-funeral ceremony” plan. It has been a wonderful experience for us both. I just wish I had had done this with my mother 20 years ago when she passed away. But I am so grateful I have this for my father.

My Brochure ...

I was over joyed in being given the opportunity to design a brochure as a member for the national The Celebrants Network in Australia. The brochure "It's time...to plan for your final farewell" contains information on the importance of preparing Life Stories and Pre-Funeral Ceremony Planning and is now available for purchase via the associations website!!!!! And then I worked with a Memorial Working Party from The Celebrants Network and we developed another brochure ...."Memorials: the new funerals?"
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A few poems ...

There's magic in a Mother's touch,
and sunshine in her smile.
There's love in everything she does
to make our lives worthwhile.
We can find both hope and courage
Just by looking in her eyes.
Her laughter is a source of joy,
her works are warm and wise.
There is a kindness and compassion
to be found in her embrace,
and we see the light of heaven
shining from a Mother's face.

You Meant So Much
You meant so much to all of us
You were special and that's no lie
You brightened up the darkest day
And the cloudiest sky
Your smile alone warmed hearts
Your laugh was like music to hear
I would give absolutely anything
To have you well and standing near
Not a second passes
When you're not on our minds
Your love we will never forget
The hurt will ease in time
Many tears I have seen and cried
They have all poured out like rain
I know that you are happy now
And no longer in any pain.

By Cassie Mitchell

Mother Teresa Quote
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is a beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
life is a challenge, meet it.
life is a duty, complete it.
life is a game, play it.
life is costly, care for it.
life is wealth, keep it.
life is love, enjoy it.
life is mystery, know it.
life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is a sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is Life, fight for it!.

The Funeral Resource Guide from the Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants (AFCC) is a magnificent guide ... I can guide you through it
About

So what is Dying to Know Day?

D2K Day is in its 9th year and is an annual day of action dedicated to bringing to life conversations and community actions around dying and bereavement.
Dying to Know Day is an initiative of the Groundswell Project. The Groundswell Project’s mission is “to develop innovative arts and health programs that create cultural change about death and dying, while championing others to do the same”.D2KDay is designed to encourage all Australians to develop new knowledge and attitudes about how to deal with death, dying and bereavement and support each other at the end of life. It inspires local initiatives and promotes information to enable all Australians to discuss and plan their wishes.One of the purposes of D2KDay is to improve death literacy in Australia and get people talking more openly about every aspect of the end of life. To encourage people to: • make a record of their lives• leave a legacy for their family • to assist in the preparation of their eulogy• alert people to talking to their families about their funeral preferences • letting them know about the choices they have.
'Death literacy' recognises the role that everyone has in end of life care and death care. Having knowledge helps us make informed decisions about the care, being able to act on that knowledge is empowering. Taking action, no matter how big or small, contributes to changing the way we talk about and plan for death. As a Dying to Know Day advocate I am not asking for miracles of you...I just invite you to take even one small step towards pondering your wishes....having the conversations….making the plans.
So what can I do on this Dying To Know Day?I make sure that the people who hold great meaning in my life know how much I love and appreciate them, and they also know what I want to happen when I die. I live as "fully" as possible and try to appreciate the little things, that is what I hope to pass on to my children and my much loved family and friends.
I am in my infancy of this subject of death and dying, and preparing for the inevitable. I find it fascinating and I am learning so much. I am learning to be comfortable with death. To make friends with death. It makes me consider the fragility of my own life. Talking about death has been good for me. It has inspired me to shine a light on life. But if you can't bring yourself to have the conversation about death.....maybe start to contemplate the fragility of life...
I am curious about stories, articles, music, and art that deal with the end-of-life, the Grim Reaper. I am a 'deathie'...."end of life" is part of my life... it challenges me. Brene Brown, a powerful speaker, says “you can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability”. It takes courage to talk about death. It’s only human to feel vulnerable, yet the more I practice talking about death, the more courageous and comfortable and normal it becomes.
Death is considered by so many people as too sad, too overwhelming and too scary. Most people choose not to go there, keeping the thoughts and fears inside their heads, ignoring it until it has happened, until it’s too late to prepare. Talking can be tough, but silence can be rougher. Sharing our thoughts and fears about death helps us deal with them, can clarify confusion, and can help us make sense of our feelings. Talking strengthens connections with the people we care about, and it diminishes regret. It helps us understand what others are thinking. It’s better than making assumptions.

Talking about death makes us focus on life.Fear of dying “stimulates us to cherish those we love, create enduring memories, pursue our hopes and dreams and achieve our potential”.It gives living an edge by sharpening our focus on making the most of the precious time we have.

My advice so far to do with the topic of

death and dying

My advice so far is to contemplate your own death while you are well. Take the opportunity to be with someone who is dying and don't be afraid. Discussions allow us to say and do what matters, with the people we love, before it’s too late.
People often use the excuse “there is no point talking or planning for death, I would rather focus on life”. Death is a part of our lives whether we like it or not. We are all going to die one day, that is guaranteed.Death makes each moment precious.
When we recognize that life is limited and will one day end, we can utilize this knowledge to bring deeper meaning to every moment. We learn to savor each experience of life because it may not come our way again. Death points us toward living life as fully as possible, while honoring what really matters, like Love and Forgiveness. “Life is fleeting,” Death whispers to us, “waste not one breath.” I HAD AN INFORMATION STALL AT MY LOCAL LIBRARY FOR DYING 2 KNOW DAY IN 2019

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part
 of us"Helen Keller

Interesting Websites and Links

Your Final Checklist
Dying to Know Day
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Emotional Will
Dying to Know Day
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Discussion Starter Toolkit
Dying to Talk
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Advance Care Plans
Better Health Channel Fact Sheet
Read More
TED Talks
On death and dying