Are You Prepared for the Death of a Loved One?

[MineralMan]

16. Well, many people have real issues in dealing with their own deaths.

They don't make arrangements in advance, because it requires them to think about it. So, all of the stress falls on the survivors. And that stress is not a small thing for most people. In my case, I knew what it would be like, having gone through it with my wife's parents a couple of times. I'm also a very practical person and completely intolerant of nonsense. So, before calling the funeral home (the only one in their community), I visited its website and made all of my decisions before calling them.

Still, though, it is a very, very unpleasant experience to go through, and happens immediately, before you have had any time to process the reality of someone's death.

I went into the process with good knowledge of what I would be facing, but not everyone thinks about those things ahead of time. For them, and especially for people who have strong emotional reactions to negative situations, it can be a horrible experience. I have seen that happen many times with friends who were not prepared at all and were totally wiped out by making those arrangements.

That's why I wrote this thread opener.