Many people feel it is necessary to mark the passing with some sort of ceremony - they need it to achieve acceptance and closure.

As to horrid funerals - well they can be avoided to a certain extent. If you are not a church goer, then why bother with a church ceremony? You are not a known and loved member of the church family and the minister will have nothing constructive to say about the departed because he doesn't know him. The fire and brimstone action was totally out of order though.

Mick and I have decided on woodland funerals carried out by The Humane Society. I've been to two funerals conducted by these good people now and the best way to describe them is 'RELEVANT'. The person conducting the ceremony (both at crematoriums) had taken the time and effort to get to know the deceased's relatives and the words used related prefectly to the deceased. As to the woodland bit - well it just made ecological sense.

Other funerals which have bordered on being tolerable have been the various folk funerals I've attended. Again highly meaningful. Rod Shearman's was a true celebration of his life. Sadly there have been too many of these in recent years.

Incidentally, I'm curous - if you don't have a funeral of any sort - what happens to the body?

Rhiannon