When a loved one passes away, it can be a challenging time. One thing that can help us begin to heal is to attend their funeral. However, if you have never attended one before this can bring on additional feelings of stress or anxiety. This is because it is a new situation and you may be unsure of the proper etiquette to follow. Luckily, directors of funeral homes in Wilsonville, OR. Share these basic funeral etiquette tips so that you can attend feeling much more confident.
Being on time for the funeral is by far one of the most important things you can do. This shows respect for the deceased and the grieving family and ensures you will not interrupt the services once they have started. A good rule of thumb to strive for is to arrive about 15 minutes before the time of the service. This should give you ample time to find parking as well as a place to sit at the service.
If for some reason you do happen to show up late, make sure not to interrupt the service. Simply enter the room and find a seat that is close to avoid walking through the space and creating a distraction.
One issue that can cause major anxiety is, once you have entered the room, where do you sit? You don’t want to sit too far away and seem uninterested, but how close is too close to sit in the front? The one thing to remember here is that you are welcome to sit just about anywhere except the first few front rows as these rows are reserved for the family of the deceased.
Also, it can be customary for the rest of the family to sit on the right half of the room, while friends and acquaintances sit on the left. However, this rule is not always followed and if you happen to sit on the wrong side, nobody will mind.
If you can leave your cell phone at home or in the car then, by all means, do so. If you cannot, make sure it is on silent mode or turned off. The last thing you want to do is to create a horrible interruption with your cell phone going off in the middle of the service.
Another note when it comes to cell phones. Even if it’s quiet, keep it put away. Even before the service starts. There is nothing more disrespectful than being at a funeral and having your phone out scrolling social media. You are there to pay respects and the cell phone is not part of that.
Attending a funeral, either at a funeral home in Wilsonville, OR., or church can be intimidating if you haven’t attended one before. Know that your feelings are normal and others may be feeling the same way. If you find yourself getting nervous, just take a deep breath and remember that guests at this service are there to pay tribute to the deceased, not to judge you.