I have never liked funerals. I mean, who would?

However, my reasons for disliking funerals are not just because someone has died. One: I hate wearing all black to a funeral. I wear black every day on my own, I do not need it to symbolized death.Two: having any form of casket at a funeral is mortifying, open or closed it does not matter. Why would anyone want to know there is the person who just died laying in a box right in front of you? And three: I completely disapprove of the entire idea of funerals.

The way I was taught from a child was to not mourn for someone you have just lost, but to rejoice in the the glorious (or maybe not as glorious) life that the person experienced. I do not remember a single funeral in my family that we did not cry, you cannot avoid crying sometimes, no matter how hard you try. However, we would laugh and remember the beautiful memories we shared with our loved ones, and made a wonderful time of a horrible situation.

The last funeral my family had was for my great-uncle Stu. We did have the church part of a funeral, but it was not so traditional. There was singing and stories and love to go around. Afterwards we had somewhat of a memorial. All of us ventured towards the beach. We ate good food and we laughed and shared stories once again.

Personally, I would like to be cremated, for I don't wish to be buried under 6 feet of dirt. I don't want people to be wearing black. Not one thing. Bright colors and wild patterns should fill the area. Even if my life was not too eventful, I want to be remembered with a phenomenal "big bang" at the end. No dull moment will occur. Everyone is of course allowed to cry, because everyone grieves in their own way. But haunting will occur if that is all that happens.

I want my life to be remembered magnificently. Throw a party. Be daring and do something out of your comfort zone. Anything.

My mother's father (Grandpa Grumps) once told me, "Grandpa Ed said, "I think that when someone of our age (Ed and myself) dies, everybody else should smile and say: Boy, didn't he have a wonderful life? And then they should have a celebration party. My only disappointment is that I won't be at my own party!"'

That is how I believe all funerals should be. It shouldn't be a sad, depressing day that lags on and only the thought of your loved one being gone crosses your mind.

We mourn over the dead more than we cherish the living, and I do not believe society as a whole should live by those standards. Give the ones you love flowers, be kind and loving to them while they are still here. You never know what moment may be the last time you see them.