Funeral SpeechesMeaning in hard times.Funeral speeches - when a loved one dies, we lose a whole person, a whole life. Thoughts and memories bombard us, and it quickly becomes difficult to think of just a few words to sum up who they were. We get caught up in how we are supposed to say goodbye. Here are a few ways to make this process easier. A eulogy is a speech that praises a person. It is not a goodbye speech; that is too much pressure. It is recalling the good. You can talk about accomplishments they made, recall good memories, or what good they did in the world. Here is a sample outline for a funeral speech: I. Intro - How this person came into my life. Before you sit down to write, take a walk or do something to help clear you head and think about what you would like to say. You want to write your thoughts out, the way you want to say them. Keep it short, and positive. Make sure that there will be someone there who can take over reading the speech for you, in case you become too overcome with grief. Below is a sample eulogy. If you take these instructions and this process one step at a time, you can do this. Giving funeral speeches is a difficult task, but it is not too big. Complete one portion and move on to the next. Take as many walks between as you need. Take deep breaths, and just talk about the person. Sample Eulogy I met Amber on our first day of college. I heard her before I saw her. I was sitting with my back to one of those dividers in the rec room, reading a book, when there was this sound of cans going everywhere. The divider rocked forward and knocked the back of my head. I jumped up, ticked to no end, and ready to give that disruptive tree hugger a piece of my mind. When I spun around, and saw her there, chewing on her lower lip, all I could get out was, "aaaaaa daaaaaaa ummmm… Hi." The next thing I know, I am making bi-weekly pick-ups at the recycling drop off. That was Amber. She could turn the world on its heel with a smile. She infected the world with her enthusiasm and hope with those beautiful blue eyes. Amber was passionate about so many things, and she swept you right up in it too. She used to pop in a CD and stand there in her bare feet, with her hand on the speaker, and say, “Can you feel it? Can’t you just feel it?” Then she’s play it over and over again until you said you did too. She loved the earth, animals, education, her family and friends and so much more. Amber’s love was strong, but quiet. To watch her affect and change the world was like art. She never pushed, or argued, or said disparaging things about the way things were. She simply saw a better way, and lived it. Slowly, those around her would come to understand it, and evolve right along with her. She was beauty in motion. Her guidance was like a sunny day, inviting people to get out and play. Amber always said that the universe was kind enough to let us stop here on our journey. It would nourish our hearts, minds, and bodies for the short time we are here. All it asks in return is that we learn what we can, and leave just a little goodness behind. Amber and I agreed a long time ago, that we wanted the goodness that we left to be in the form of compassion. And she did it. I can’t think of a single person in our lives, that isn’t carrying a piece of her heart with them. Her compassion is still here. --- Giving funeral speeches can be hard. Step by step, you can do it. If you still don't know exactly what to say, check out Occasional Words. Scroll down and click on Eulogies. Return from Funeral Speeches to Speech-Time.com Get free public speaking tips delivered straight to your inbox - we'll even throw in a free e-book, How to Eat Away Fear! |