"They say you die twice; Once when you stop being, and a second time much later on, when someone says your name out loud for the last time."      

Banksy

 

Funerals are an important way to acknowledge a loss and keep someone close by saying their name out loud.

 

Humanist funerals, and memorials, are a very personal way to celebrate someone's life - acknowledging the unique impact they had on the world and on the people around them.

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The first funeral I conducted was for my closest friend over 10 years ago and, however difficult (and daunting) that was, it felt like a real gift to be able to tell the story of her life the way she had wanted it to be told.

 

Her name was Heather, and she set me on the path to becoming a Celebrant. 

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I work with families across Edinburgh and the Lothians, meeting them to talk through what their ceremony will look and feel like. We will spend time chatting about the life of the person who has died; their character, their achievements, and the things and people that mattered most to them throughout their lives.

 

I then write those memories and reflections into a ceremony which hopefully pays tribute to them in a way which feels authentic and respectful, and which gives people an opportunity to begin grieving, and sometimes also smile in the midst of so much sadness.

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I send a draft of the ceremony to the family or friends who were closest to them, and we work together until it feels right for everyone.

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Funerals are the heart of my Celebrant work and it is an enormous privilege to be a part of telling so many stories. I hope you will trust me with yours.

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