If you’ve ever been to a funeral or memorial service, you’ve probably heard at least one eulogy. A eulogy, of course, is a speech that essentially honors the memory of one who has died. A great one can leave you feeling inspired to live life more fully and to appreciate the deceased even more. But what to do if you’re asked to deliver the eulogy at a Brentwood, TN funeral home service? Fortunately, it’s not rocket science. Here are some tips to help you do it.
Take a Trip Down Memory Lane
The best eulogies are captivating because they use memories and stories about the deceased to explain what made them special and worth celebrating. So you’ll want to take a trip down memory lane – and invite other family members as well as people who knew the deceased to come along. Make a note of special memories and stories that help you to paint a beautiful portrait of the person being honored. Again, don’t do this on your own. Ask others for their input. It’s likely that even non-family members, such as co-workers or friends of the deceased, will have great memories that you may want to include in your eulogy.
Make an Outline
Making an outline will help you to organize your thoughts. You don’t want your speech to seem like a long ramble composed of unrelated memories. You want things to flow. So make an outline and see how the memories you want to share fit. You won’t be able to use all the information you come up with. An outline will help you to pick and choose what to include.
Get to Writing
Once you’ve written down the memories and drawn up an outline, your next order of business is to actually start writing the eulogy. Be sure to adopt an upbeat tone. You don’t want to be irreverent, but you also don’t want to be downcast and gloomy. If you have a good sense of humor, you should have no difficulty weaving in some humor. If you don’t have the greatest sense of humor, then get some feedback from other family members during the writing process.
Practice
After you’ve written the eulogy, be sure to practice reading it – out loud. You’ll get to practice your pace, your tone, and even your stage presence. Try to read it to others who can give you honest critiques not only on the quality of the eulogy, but also on the effectiveness of your presentation.
Take it Easy
When the time comes to deliver the eulogy, take a deep breath in give it your best shot. Remember that everyone there will be rooting for you, so there’s no need to get tripped up by nerves. It’ll be over before you know it, so try to enjoy the honor of delivering the eulogy.
At Ellis Funeral Home & Cremation Service, located at 2627 Nolensville Pike Nashville, TN 37211, we specialize in helping people to plan Brentwood, TN funeral home services. We can also give you some more tips if you’re going to deliver the eulogy for a family member or friend. Contact us at (615) 255-5412 to discuss your needs. We’ll be happy to assist you.
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