Thursday December 25, 2008 7:00am
\nDuring the week between Christmas and New Year\u2019s is when the air is most emotionally charged\u00a0for people.\u00a0 It\u2019s a time of new beginnings and a time to reflect on those we have lost during the year; those who will no longer be sharing the earth experience with us in their human body. It\u2019s natural to lament the loss of loved ones who have chosen to drop their robes for this Earth walk, and many of us have parents and grand parents who are nearing transition.\u00a0 It\u2019s a time of many decisions to make and contingencies to be addressed.<\/p>\n
Advance funeral arrangement and prepaid cremation is always helpful, and everyone should have a basic will and power of attorney.\u00a0 Everything should be placed in joint names with right of survivorship: real estate, bank accounts, vehicle and trailer titles, stock and any other accounts.\u00a0\u00a0Being prepared with these details in advance prevents you from paying\u00a0extreme prices later when you have to make big financial decisions under emotional pressure.\u00a0 Funeral home costs can add up to be astronomical and unnecessary.\u00a0 Prepaid cremation\u00a0is easy, and\u00a0is the environmentally friendly choice.\u00a0 Gather friends informally at the family home later, not at the funeral home.\u00a0 The extra money will come in handy for you now.<\/p>\n
No one likes to spend their holidays thinking of those who are no longer here, but sometimes you can\u2019t not notice it.\u00a0 If you were married to someone for 60 years, you\u2019d notice when they were no longer at your side every moment.\u00a0 That can be devastating if you think of it in terms of loss.\u00a0 But, as Abraham-Hicks<\/a> says, death is merely like walking into the next room.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve all experienced it: we hear a voice in our head sounding like our deceased loved one, and we even carry on\u00a0conversations that are soothing to us,\u00a0and insightful.\u00a0\u00a0\u201dI\u2019m just imagining that,\u201d you\u2019ll say.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m just making that up.\u201d\u00a0 maybe.\u00a0 But where is the thought coming from?\u00a0 And when you get right down to it, does it really matter as long as the thought is bringing you comfort and personal insight?<\/p>\n It\u2019s good to be prepared in advance, not just with the legal details, but with some first hand accounts of those who have passed on, so you know what to expect.\u00a0 At this link, you\u2019ll find just that:\u00a0\u00a0The End of Life As We Know It, As Reported By Those Who Have Made The Transition<\/a>.\u00a0 It has changed how I feel about the topic.\u00a0 It has brought me comfort to know everyone is just a thought away.<\/p>\n