Food for Thought

Planning a memorial service is not one of the funnest things to do but it is something that is just as special and meaningful as any other occasion; maybe even more so because you're only doing it once. And you want to honor that person and their life...

I've decided I'm going to get mine all planned and figured out--from the music to the favors to the menu to the obituary to the slide show and who I'd like to speak. It's kind of crazy but it seems like if I were to suddenly die, it would make it somewhat easier on my family having all that stuff done. Not that I would be picky because let's face it, would I even know? So I guess paper plates would have to be OK, but there's some other things I'd like to have squared away because of the control freak in me. Like I don't think my family even knows if I'd prefer to be cremated or buried and I definitely do not want an open casket under any circumstances.

And, I'm not going to be shy about what I want either. I'm not going to try to pretend like I don't care what happens or what kind of service or reception I get because I won't really be there. I do want a party and I want it big. In my perfect fantasy funeral, Seinfeld would give my eulogy and bring down the house and Harry Connick Jr. would sing a few of my favorite songs from the piano and there would be lots of chocolate and popcorn and a really long obituary...because let's face it, I'm a little wordy. There would be lots of white tulips and roses and people would toast with Shirley Temples.

This is serious business and I'm not trying to make light of it. You might be thinking, is she serious? Yes. It's why we get life insurance isn't it? To help the family when we're gone. To prepare and be prepared. To me, this is no different.

I'm not trying to be flip or morbid here because even though it's hard to think about and imagine dying and your funeral...with the passing of my brother, it's also hard not to think about it. It makes me understand how precious and short life really is and it makes me want to write letters to all the people who mean something to me just so I know that they knew that I loved them in case or when something happens to me.

So in a couple of weeks, we will do our best to honor my little brother Tony but it would have been really nice to know what HE would have wanted instead of guessing or just doing what WE want to.