Greetings fellow Villagers.  Happy Mothers Day to all of you “gifts from God”.  We know in our hearts that this is what all of you are.  I, as well as many, have asked myself; “Where would I be without my mom?”  Naturally, without God and the uniting of our mom’s and dad’s, we simply would not “be”.  (If your home life was not of the “social norm”, please hold in your heart that “God doesn’t make mistakes” and no matter what your circumstances, you are here for a reason.)  But how often do we really grasp the value and greatness of the gift of our moms (and dads) and the phenomenal role they play, (played), in each of our lives? Many families have shared with us the question of; “Why does it take the loss of this great gift to genuinely appreciate their irreplaceable and unmistakable impression and role they played in each of our lives?” or “Why must we wait until we loose our parents before we can verbally express our appreciation for them?

I’m truly thrilled that we have these special days, (Mothers and Fathers Day), to honor them while they are alive and still amongst us.  It is sad, at times, to think that we “need” a special day to truly reflect on their importance in our lives, yet, who, next to God, could be more deserving of a special day?

In this politically correct environment, one of the few terms I have personally embraced is the term “domestic engineer”.  While typing death certificates, under the field of “occupation”, if the woman of the household did not work outside of the home, she is “classified” as a homemaker.  Isn’t the term “domestic engineer” much more accurate of a classification?  Think about it, as children, our moms were nurses, psychologists, mentors, problem solvers, easers of mental and physical pain, teachers, artists, cheerleaders, encouragers, cooks, cleaners, organizers, “taxi” drivers, and the list goes on and on.  I’ve never been much of a fan of the “politically correct” as I have always known that if we all truly embraced love, respect, empathy, and acceptance of each other and our differences, our vocabulary and thought process would already be in check and “political correctness” would not be a concept of this world.

Serving in the funeral industry, we are fully aware that funerals are for the living.  They serve an important role in allowing us to trigger and go through the mourning process, giving us closure with the goal of being able to continue living our lives in a healthy and functional manner.  Although we realize that life will never be the same once we lose a loved one, it is healthy and beneficial for all of us to honor those that have been called home to be with God.  Funerals help us to recall and embrace the gifts and values our loved ones have blessed us with, allowing us to honor them with our memories and stories, helping us to realize the importance of continued traditions that would be lost if we, ourselves, don’t keep those family traditions alive.

Fundamentally, we are aware of one problem with a traditional funeral: our loved one is no longer among us to hear all of the wonderful things and memories shared and said about them.  Wouldn’t it be great if they could hear the unforgettable and treasured lessons they taught us and how much they were loved and valued before they go home to be with God?

I believe that these special days are opportunities for us to do just that.  I’ve read many articles on how some families have created “living funerals”.  The psychology behind a “living funeral” is so that they and their loved ones have the opportunity to part ways without any regrets. Regrets of perhaps not having the chance to properly say goodbye, to forgive any past misunderstandings, or to thank them for what they have meant to us and/or to thank them for the many lessons they have taught us with the results of enriching our lives.

It would be an ideal world if we were all mindful of this on a daily basis, however, we all seem to get so “wrapped up” in the “here and now” that we sometimes lose sight of who and what is truly important.

Our prayer is that all of you Moms (and Dads) out there know in your hearts how special you truly are and the phenomenal role you continue to play in your children’s’ lives.  We also pray that you all give yourselves permission to share how much you cherish and value your loved ones and friends.  Again, Happy Mothers Day!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this article.  As always, Bill and Ingried Lowman are available 24/7 at (602) 276-3601, toll free (877) 276-3601, fax, (602) 276-1889 or on our website, lowmansarizonafuneralhome.com.