Many families have concerns over whether a burial or cremation is a better choice for honoring their loved one. Whatever the reason for family’s concerns, it is a hard decision, so it is important to consider ahead of time when cremation is the best choice.
When you want an environmentally friendly choice
While burials are traditional, the unfortunate truth is that there is simply not enough land on earth to accommodate burial as a funeral tradition forever. Many people are concerned about the footprint they leave in this world, and that concern continues even after death.
Though there are some carbon emissions with cremation, as technology progresses the impact lessens every year. Cremation lets you avoid taking up unnecessary space and putting large amounts of embalming chemicals into the earth.
When you want to be personal rather than traditional
Traditions are certainly important, and for some families, the tradition of burial is significant. In these cases, burial may be the right choice. But there is also a trend away from tradition just for the sake of being traditional. From weddings to funerals, we are interested in celebrating people in ways that are unique to them.
Cremation gives a family more flexibility to design a remembrance that captures the distinctive character of their loved one. Many people choose to scatter the ashes in meaningful places; others choose to use them for planting a tree or make them into jewelry.
When you need a lower-cost option
It can be hard to suggest saving money when talking about a loved one. It may feel as if you are dishonoring their memory by even considering ways to cut costs. In reality, however, most of us know that our loved ones would never want us to suffer financial hardship.
Cremation generally costs around half as much as a traditional burial. There is no embalming, no grave to buy or headstone to order, and caskets are generally much more expensive than a cremation urn.
How to make the decision
Legacy Cremation Services knows that while there are good reasons to consider cremation, it is still an important decision you should talk over with your family. These types of discussions can be hard, but there are ways to help ourselves face them.
Imagine you are advising someone else
Take the personal edge off the discussion by imagining that you are not considering your own family member, but instead helping an acquaintance make a decision. Considering the situation before you, is cremation the right choice?
Be willing to consider alternatives
Sometimes our choices are driven more by habit than by carefully weighing up all the evidence. To combat this tendency, deliberately entertain the choice that is the opposite of what you instinctually jump at. This does not mean you must stick with the choice. Just take a few moments to think outside your comfort zone.
Limit how much information you take in
We believe that the more information we have the better a decision we will make. In reality, the amount of information often overwhelms us and makes it harder—not easier—to choose wisely. There are not that many factors to consider when choosing burial or cremation: get the basics and then work from there.
Make a pros and cons list
This is a piece of advice you may have heard before. The advice really works, but surprisingly few of us ever heed it. When making a decision, it can be hard to hold all the factors in our minds and give each one the proper weight, especially when a decision has an emotional factor. Writing it all down can lift the fog and bring instant clarity.
No end of life decisions are simple or easy, but it is possible to come to a decision and be confident in your choice. If you take the time now to consider your options, you can have peace of mind during the hardest times.
