Death is hard, and it can be even harder to put into words your thoughts and feelings about a loved one who has died. A funeral comes so quickly, and for many of us, we’re still processing that this person is no longer with us, so to create a eulogy for them seems like a daunting task.
How can we formulate coherent, beautiful thoughts, when we’re experiencing grief? We won’t lie to you…writing that eulogy will likely be hard, but you will be happy with yourself that you did it to honor your loved one.
For this article, we wanted to share with you a few tips that may help you write and give a eulogy.
Tips for Putting Together a Eulogy for a Loved One
- Start writing or gathering thoughts for a eulogy before a loved one passes. If someone you know, and love is terminally ill or getting up there in age, the likeliness of them passing soon is inevitable. If you get a head start of writing the eulogy, you won’t feel rushed or overwhelmed once they pass and you must get the funeral in order.
- Get help. Ask fellow loved ones their favorite things about the person who passed. Ask them to share a quirk or a story. You’ll create a fuller, bigger picture of this person’s life – you may learn things about him or her you had no idea about!
- Write everything down. Don’t try to wing the eulogy off memories or notes in your head. It can be hard to recall a speech when under pressure or while grieving.
- Write down as much as you can remember or want to say whenever it pops into your head – that way you won’t leave out or forget anything.
- Write for the audience…not for you!
- Create a eulogy that truly captures the person’s being – don’t read their life off like a resume. Unfortunately, even most obituaries follow a standard, formulaic, non-personal pattern. You want the eulogy to truly honor the person for who they were and what they stood for.
- Keep the eulogy as positive as you can. Choose memories, stories, and facts that show how great this person was who you are all gathered to remember. However, it’s OK to be both funny/positive and sad.
- Call out people in the crowd during the eulogy to truly personalize the experience. Share memories and experiences of others. Of course, many people mattered to this person, not just the one giving the eulogy. You want to share moments and memories everyone in the audience can reminisce about, not just you.
- Practice the eulogy as much as you can. Practice in a mirror. Practice giving eye contact. Make sure you’re not talking to fast or mumbling. Practice giving the speech through possible tears. The practice will help you hold it together. You can do it!
Looking for Funeral Homes in Jacksonville, Florida?
Even using these above-mentioned tips, writing and delivering a eulogy is hard. The hardest part may be gathering the courage to sit down and do it. We hope these tips can give you a little bit of help during this hard time. We wish you the best of luck in writing a eulogy that your loved on deserved and one you’re proud of.
If you are looking for a place to hold the funeral, we would be honored to have you and your loved ones at Evergreen Cemetery, Funeral Home & Crematory. We have honored more than 80,0000 lives across 167 acres
Our staff is dedicated to working with your family to help in selecting high quality and affordable funeral services during your time of grief and need.
If you’re looking for funeral home Jacksonville, Fl, let our team at Evergreen help you with the process. Call us at 904-353-3649 for more information, or send us an email. We are available to serve your needs whether you use Evergreen Cemetery or any other resting place of your choice.
