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A sensitive question about the death of a loved one

posted a year ago by ColumboKate (5787)
41 replies | jump to latest

Sorry if this emotes sad feelings but I'm just curious...

My friend and colleague (she's 28) found her dad dead a couple of weeks ago. Today she went to see his body. We were talking about it today, and I said that when my mum died (I was 18 at the time), I couldn't view her body because I couldn't have that as my last memory of her.
Obviously with her circumstances, she couldn't have finding him as her last memory. Absolutely understandable.

It's made me curious, have you viewed the body, or neglected to do so?

Just from what I've seen on tv, this seems very common in America, but in Britain, you can view the body before the funeral, sometimes behind a curtain at the funeral, but normally never an open casket on display for all to see.

What are your experiences of this sad time?

(Sorry for being the part pooper, but I'm genuinely interested) ❤️

[–] parkerbot (10715) a year ago

If possible, I will not view the body - the person I knew is gone and I'd prefer my last memory to be pleasant.

Although sometimes the body is on display near where you give your condolences to the family and you can't help but see it if the casket is open and in that type of case, what can you do.

I personally thing preparing the body for viewing is wrong but if it's your loved one, I guess you get to decide.

http://i.pinimg.com/736x/8c/5b/16/8c5b165ee1a6969541624b171d67a2fe.jpg

[–] Kj1oceanlust (1528) a year ago

I viewed my mothers body in 2021, after she passed away from cancer. It sure is a morbid surreal experience seeing someone you knew for so long and loved completely lifeless. There physically but not in soul. It's all in how you feel. One way of looking at it, is it's a one off experience. I think it may make some people feel better though, because I've heard of some people having one last talk with the deceased, which may make some wonder why? My mother had a good chat with her brother in his casket one on one. And I overheard my dad muttering some words to my mother in her casket. I probably did to lol, but can't recall what I may have said.