Cremation Options: Listen And Learn
Recently, ABC News correspondent Ted Koppel completed his tenure as the host of the popular show Nightline. During his last episode, he reflected on what he called one of the most rewarding stories he ever worked on during his long celebrated and acclaimed career before replaying an interview with author Mitch Albom about his college professor, Morrie Schwartz. Schwartz, you see was the “Morrie” in the best- selling book, Tuesdays with Morrie, written by Albom and chronicling the life and death of his former teacher. In the book, Albom speaks of his weekly visits with Morrie as “a last class with my old professor.” In an excerpt from the book, he writes: “No grades were given, no books were required, yet many topics were covered, including love, work, community, family, aging, forgiveness and finally death. The last lecture was brief, only a few words. A funeral was held in lieu of graduation, although no final exam was given, you were expected to produce one long paper on what was learned.”    How eloquently this reflects on the grief and bereavement facing those dealing with the loss of a loved one! All of us are challenged with this myriad of emotions when we are called to serve. How we respond and react can impact lives and lead to growth and healing. Our noble calling affords us opportunities, just as Albom had, to share our souls and to bring comfort and a sense of meaning to people’s lives. Tuesday with Morrie proved much more than just good reading for me. Many of you have heard me speak of Tom French, who was married to Jacquie, my wife’s sister, who struggled with Lou Gehrig’s disease for 10 years before his untimely death this past fall at the age of 42. Watching him live with this disease during this time truly defined all of the attributes described by Albom. The care French was afforded in his days of struggle was Herculean; the impact this whole situation had on our entire family proved defining and how we look at living and dying. Tom had a burning desire to live and to fight this debilitating disease. As a doctor and board-certified plastic surgeon he immediately knew when diagnosed just what his prognosis meant. At first, he talked quietly about how he would end his life before he became completely incapacitated. As his symptoms progressed, however and life brought him new opportunities, his focus shifted completely to living and being productive. Even when limited to a wheelchair, he still traveled extensively. His later limitations-including no arm movement-did not stop him! Technology on his side, an eye-gaze computer was installed and his focus literally and figuratively became fixed on the outside world, through the Internet. Writing chapters in books about terminal illness and purchasing a wheelchair van were just a few of his accomplishments. Moreover, teaching those around him how important it is to “live while dying” afforded me added insight into my daily effort to serve families. Every family we honored to serve will have a different story -a set of circumstances unique unto them-but take time to listen and to learn. Allow them to share and to celebrate during their time of turmoil. The road traveled during their bereavement will surely be one filled with turns, twists and occasional potholes, but lean from these folks as I did from Tom French. Your ability to care will forever be impacted.
If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.