Observing a Funeral and Taking Stock of Life

A colleague of mine died the day before Thanksgiving. I am grateful that my last conversation was friendly and meaningful, but I wish I could have had one more talk. The funeral was sad and hopeful.

He lived a full life: a pilot during the Vietnam War, a Navy officer, an industry man, a pastor, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a great-grandfather. He studied the Bible extensively and worked to help others understand it.

The officiant read from a Bible text that has given millions of people hope for thousands of years and is often read at military funerals.

I wouldn’t say I like going to funerals, but they are hidden opportunities.

1. A funeral is an opportunity for the family and friends of the deceased to learn how their loved one impacted others
2. A funeral is an opportunity to take stock of one’s own life.

James Hagerty, an obituary writer for the Wall Street Journal, described the questions he sought to answer when writing a death notice. He would investigate what the deceased tried to do, why, and how it worked out. These questions are worth thinking about before one dies.

High school kids should write a life plan using the obituary questions above. A plan includes some idea of what one is trying to do. For this, a good place to start is your funeral. What do you want others to say about you when you die? What do you want to be known for?

These questions help one live a useful and productive life.

Finally, I recommend allowing a funeral to catalyze inquiry into religious matters, such as finding lasting order, peace, beauty, and happiness. (For serious thoughts about this, read a chapter a day of the Gospel of John, the fourth book in the New Testament.)

Attending a funeral can be instrumental for a high school kid, helping him or her think seriously about what to do.