Giving a eulogy is difficult. You are, of all things, expected to bring the deceased to life.
In a few moments you have to try to encompass a lifetime of living and achievement.
Let’s make no mistake about this. Everybody has achievements in their life. When the deceased has run a multi million company, been a renowned sportsperson or achieved some honour it is comparatively easy to eulogise them. It is much more difficult to say a eulogy for a mother whose lifetime has been spent loving and caring for her family. It is harder to find words to give a eulogy for a father who worked in a dead end job to provide for his family. After all what words do you use to describe a lifetime’s love and devotion?
If one picture tells a thousand words one incident also tells a story. You might conjure up a picture of your mother waving to you from the window every morning as you went to school. You could tell about the dad who worked extra late at night so that you got that special toy from Santa. You might talk of the roses they grew or the trips you made with them. Talk about what made them sad, mad or glad and, in doing so, make those mourners laugh a little too…
A loving eulogy gives mourners something to hang on to. Religious believers of course need to be told that their loved one has gone to Heaven. Others want to feel that they are still there in spirit if not in fact. So personalise your eulogy and you will give comfort and hope to those left behind.

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There was once a popular hit the words of which went “Let’s get together again”. It’s the ideal advice for anyone who plans a party. Getting together with old friends helps make the occasion a great success. If it’s your mother’s birthday she would probably be delighted to see the old friend who was her bridesmaid perhaps. If it’s your father’s retirement he would probably be glad to see an old colleague who had moved onto another job somewhere else.

Perhaps you are having a family re-union? If so making a big effort to contact those cousins with whom you’ve lost touch will be well worthwhile. They’ll probably be delighted that you made the effort. There are some occasions that call out for such a family re-union. Take a bar mitzvah or a wedding anniversary for instance. It’s the ideal time for the generations to mix.

Sadly many of us only get together at a time of mourning. Whether it’s your sister’s funeral or an uncle’s funeral it is a time for a get-together. So don’t rush off after the funeral service but stay and revive memories with family and friends. It will help give you comfort and together, you can reminisce and tell tales of the loved one you have lost.
There are, of course, other reasons for getting people together. It might be a political rally or at the firm’s annual picnic. Whatever the reason it’s good to mix with like minded people. If you find you don’t get on with them you can always chalk it down to experience and avoid the next gathering!

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They are gone but not forgotten. How can they be when every year so many countries remembrance day or veteran’s day is celebrated? When we hear a eulogy for a mother or a eulogy for a father they are usually very personal, speaking of that person’s attributes and personalities. Remembrance Day is different because on that day we speak about the sacrifices of the collective armed forces. Words like courage, bravery and patriotism are an integral part of a remembrance oration or speech. Sometime Veteran’s day is called Armistice Day in commemoration of the ending of the first world war in November 1918. On that day we remember the poppies in Flanders, a symbol of the blood shed in the trenches. Monarchs and heads of State lay wreaths at the tombs of unknown soldiers. They are often flanked by today’s serving soldiers or by elderly veterans proudly wearing their medals. It is however, their families and friends who remember such patriots in their hearts.

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