Open mic at the funeral home

[leonie]

They had an open microphone at the funeral home for my cousin last night. While there were a few nice things said, it was more like an absurd and awful funeral scene from a bad movie.

ugh. Why do people do that? Do you think it helps people to speak about someone who has recently died?

 

[SMHW]

They had an open microphone at the funeral home for my cousin last night. While there were a few nice things said, it was more like an absurd and awful funeral scene from a bad movie.

ugh. Why do people do that? Do you think it helps people to speak about someone who has recently died?

In general, yes, people need the chance to get together and reminisce about those who have died. I don’t know if this was a Catholic wake or not. But it is better that such things be said at a wake at a funeral home than at a funeral in a Church.

But it sounds like you think what was said was not appropriate anywhere (or that it would be better said in a bar.)

 

[KathyA]

At my grandma’s funeral several years ago, the minister asked people to share stories and NO ONE got up! Wow, that was a really uncomfortable moment. If we had known that was coming, I’m sure one of us would have prepared something. I really regretted that I didn’t say something really simple like “I’ll always remember Grandma’s huckleberry pie”. I wasn’t about to let that happen again, so when my other grandma died, I prepared something to read. That was much better.

Whenever there is an open mic, there is always the possibility that someone will ramble on forever or say something very inappropriate. However, I kind of like hearing what people want to share. We went to a funeral of the father of one of our friends recently. We didn’t really know the dad at all, but wanted to support our friend. By the time we left, the things that people shared really made me feel like I knew him.

When my mom died a couple of years ago, we did this too. (Not a Catholic funeral.) Our family owned the local sporting goods store and it was cool how many men shared that they would always remember my mom as the person who gave them their first hunting license. (Hunting and fishing is huge here!)

Like everything, this practice has pro’s and con’s. My experience has been mostly positive…sorry yours was not!

Kathy

 

[leonie]

One girl made me angry. She got up and started sobbing. And, since my cousin had died young (26), I was immediately touched that one of her friends was so heartbroken. Then, the girls started gasping that she wished she had known my cousin because she could tell from her pictures that she was wonderful person…

I also wasn’t so comforted by the new agey assurance of another speaker that “her energy” would continue by going into the earth.

And, why do people feel compelled to tell stories of the deceased misadventures–I hope at my funeral people choose to forget my screw ups.

There were other comments that ranged from offensive to inappropriate.

But, I guess if it helped the speakers to feel comforted…There were some nice stories in there, too.

 

[HouseArrest]

Ugghh. Sorry your week is going from bad to worse.

 

[KathyA]

One girl made me angry. She got up and started sobbing. And, since my cousin had died young (26), I was immediately touched that one of her friends was so heartbroken. Then, the girls started gasping that she wished she had known my cousin because she could tell from her pictures that she was wonderful person…

I also wasn’t so comforted by the new agey assurance of another speaker that “her energy” would continue by going into the earth.

And, why do people feel compelled to tell stories of the deceased misadventures–I hope at my funeral people choose to forget my screw ups.

There were other comments that ranged from offensive to inappropriate.

But, I guess if it helped the speakers to feel comforted…There were some nice stories in there, too.

Ohhhhhhh…not good…way worse than anything I’ve ever experienced!

 

[Rascalking]

An open mic at a funeral home might sound light a good idea, but then again, open mic anything is usually cringe inducing. I think choosing one person to give a nice eulogy might be the best idea.