The funeral service profession is a rare career choice but there are a bunch of people out there who live it. I say “live it” because it’s just that, people die at every hour of every day and they and their families need funeral professionals to take care of them even at the most inconvenient hour.  A popular role in the business is funeral directing and from what I’ve experienced so far, it’s a career you can be truly passionate about.

It takes a certain kind of person to live this career, one that can handle each aspect of it. One aspect is the family side of it, where you have to deal with the family of the deceased. They aren’t always sad, deaths and funeral planning stir up deep emotions – anger, annoyance, stress. Then there’s the business side of it, where you have to deal with the planning and laws, rituals and all the other details that go into a funeral. It requires one to be compassionate, empathetic, confident, have good communication skills, a good sense of business know-how and an overall positive attitude. Also, let’s not avoid the fact that you also have to be comfortable being around the deceased.

I have helped people through troubled times in the past and it was so rewarding. It was that eagerness to help people in a time a need, combined with my education and professional experience, plus my history of losing many loved ones and attending many funerals that I felt I would have a place here. Apparently, so did some other funeral professionals, so now here I am, on the journey to becoming one – a funeral director.

I welcome you to follow me as I go on this adventure to discovering the funeral business, I’m sure it will have it ups, downs and many surprises.

Note: The names of the deceased, their families and my fellow coworkers have been changed for their privacy. My name and place of work has also been withheld for my privacy and protection. Any views expressed are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company I work for.

I take my new role very seriously and have the utmost respect for the deceased, their families, my colleagues and this business. Any humour I include in my writing is simply to bring some lightness to what can often be depressing subject. Every death is tragic and I treat them as so.

If you wish to contact me, please email me at thefuneralgirl@gmail.com.