I noticed my Diary entry “Five years ago I officiated at my first funeral”
My mind flew straight back to a day that I will never ever forget due to the extremely heightened emotion. Not only was it my very first funeral as a celebrant but before me was a family who were mourning the loss of their beautiful young daughter who suicided. This family had already lost a son in a tragic road accident.
The responsibility I felt was enormous. I wanted to conduct the service honouring this young woman exactly in the way that the family wished to do so, along with doing everything that I possibly could, in my own limited, way to assist at the commencement of their journey of pain and grief. We did get through it. The family, amidst an overwhelming cloak of tears and grief, her friends who were still suffering from debilitating shock and myself knowing that although it was very hard emotionally, this was something that I wanted to do forever!
My mind flew even further back reflecting on how one can never foresee how all the experiences of one’s life, leads you in the direction of what really can only be described as a calling.
I never ever could have imagined that I would be doing this work and yet every single one of my 300 funeral services to date have left me in awe of the immense privilege I feel when I am working with families and when I am standing up before them assisting to honour the lives of their family member and friend.
It is what I do and I do it in the only way I know how, that is why it comes as a shock when I read comments from acquaintances that speak of my work as I note the anniversary of this first funeral.
I share it because it is the generosity of spirit and the kindness of the people that the comments originate from that need to be admired, not me who is as merely using what skills I have to do the best that I can.
Posted on my Facebook Page in 2018 https://www.facebook.com/coffsfuneralcelebrant/
"Of course, your wonderful! Loving, caring, empathetic, compassionate, passionate and kind. First time I met you Silvana, you were up on stage public speaking and your professionalism blew me away. Congratulations on your success thus far. We are all proud of you. Xo” LS
and in 2017 when I posted “ 4 years ago today I officiated at my very first funeral service. I could never have known that this calling would be so fulfilling to my heart and soul.”
“You’re a beautiful celebrant and just what the industry needs. Your passionate about what you do and I'm sure you've helped many families along the way” YF
I am forever grateful xx
Silvana
