The Effects of Grief and Loss

The death of an important person in one’s life creates an avalanche of emotions that are dreadfully uncomfortable, bewildering and isolating.  A sense of numbness, shock, disbelief and denial are common feelings during this time.  Despite the universal nature of these feelings, which transcend age, race and cultural boundaries, there is no condolence in knowing that others everywhere for all of history experience the same things. 

The way grief manifests in people; however, can be drastically different from one person to the next.  One person may throw themselves into a frenzy of activity, desperately striving to keep busy to avoid facing the stark reality of death.  Others may retreat into a solitary world of loneliness, detaching from others and cutting all social ties.  They do this to gain a sense of understanding of the difficult moods and emotional reactions that death has brought crashing into their lives with a vengeance.  Neither way is right, neither is wrong, they are just different methods of dealing with one of the most challenging events to happen during life. 


The knowledge that someone is gone forever that one has shared so much of him with is a terrible understanding.  Unresolved emotions and issues may wreak havoc upon one’s conscience and the unique essence that defined a loved one’s importance or a friendship may never be replaced.  This is why the funeral service to celebrate the loved one’s life is so critical.  Gathering with others who knew and loved the deceased is the best way to begin the mourning process.  Sharing stories and even the misery of the loss unites mourners.  A funeral service that includes items that are customized to the deceased with photographs, videos, cherished mementos and objects that express that persons hobbies, profession or interests creates an even more intimate atmosphere for those left behind to find comfort in the service and in one another.

There are many different methods to present the personality of the departed during a funeral service such as personalized funeral stationery and funeral candles; however, a DVD video tribute is certainly one of the most interactive.  A tribute video is a touching and powerful piece that invites the viewer to revisit the life milestones of the deceased with photographs, videos, favored quotes all set to music chosen by the family.  Generally shown at the service and available as keepsakes to the families, tribute videos serve as an excellent way to focus attendees on the many joys that the deceased brought to them.  The ability to celebrate a life while mourning a death helps to gain perspective on the nature of the life and death, and why the present is the most precious time we have. 

Frazer Consultants primary products and services include interactive funeral home website design, funeral tribute video software, funeral webcasting, funeral candles, funeral keepsakes, funeral register books, personalized funeral stationery, temporary grave markers and funeral holiday remembrance ornaments.  For more information, please visit http://www.frazerconsultants.com or call 866-372-9372.