Less processions........

As is with all things, the funeral business continues to change, year to year.

When was the last time you saw a funeral procession on the road? A lead car,
followed by the hearse, then family cars, all with lights ablaze, sometimes
with blinkers on, and many times with orange or purple funeral flags displayed.

You probably haven't seen as many as you used to....the fact of the matter is, fewer
and fewer families now choose not to go to the cemetery to make a burial... whether
it be a casket, or urn with cremains.

Many families are telling the undertaker just to go ahead and make burial after
the funeral, then they will visit the grave the next day. 

Grave sites can be traumatic...depending on the nature of the death, weather
conditions, distance from the funeral home, etc.  And a lot of people just
don't wish to go there anymore. 

It's another part of the changing scene of today's modern funeral... at least
in the U.S.   Many European countries wouldn't think of making such a change...
going to the cemetery is part of the 'acceptance of death' if you will...and the
death ritual isn't completed until the body is in the ground.

And with more and more people choosing cremation as the years pass...fewer
and fewer will want to make that final drive to a cemetery for burial.

I'm old school. I think those that choose not to go are cheating themselves of
an important part of saying goodbye to that loved one. I was there for the
burial of my grandfather, and for my father and mother. In fact, in the
last two I actually stayed to make sure the vault cover was on securely over
the casket before the grave was closed. Satisfaction. Peace. Farewell.

So if you wonder whey you don't see that stream of headlights coming at you
as often as you used to....just remember... it's part of our new ways of
dealing with the whole subject.

Change. It's inevitable in all things, but it's not always for the better.

SS