A FUNERAL is sometimes misunderstood as drawing a line under a bereavement: that it represents a closure. This is not the case. An important ritual in the process of mourning, a funeral is more of a start than an end point. The bereaved now face a life without their loved one, and this could involve significant change, particularly if the loved one played a central part, such as that of a spouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elsie, 75, described how she had never slept alone in a house until her husband died. To have nobody under the same roof made her nervous every night, until she started getting used to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kathy, widowed unexpectedly, explained: \u201cI had a lovely priest who was incredibly sympathetic to the whole situation surrounding my husband\u2019s death, but there was no further bereavement support [after the funeral] provided by the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis lack of support left me really struggling, especially with my feelings about God and what had happened. I really needed to be able to talk through everything from a religious aspect, which I couldn\u2019t get with conventional bereavement counselling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p><\/p> A funeral is not the end of the road, says Abi May, but many mourners feel isolated afterwardshttps:\/\/t.co\/od0Q0JSMuh<\/a><\/p>— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) November 27, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>