Do You Have to Attend the Funeral?

Do you have to attend the funeral homes Reading, PA funeral that you’re invited to? The short answer is no but you should only take this step if you’re prepared for the consequences. If it’s the funeral of a neighbor you barely you know, there’s a chance that no one will realize that you’re not there.

However, if it’s the funeral of a family member or someone who you were close to, there may be a strong cultural expectation that you attend the service. Obviously, no one can force you to go somewhere that you don’t want to be. But the aftershock from skipping the funeral could affect your life in many ways.

Before you make a final decision, think about your inclinations. Why are you thinking about not going to the funeral? If it’s for emotional reasons, you should really think about it. Everyone at the service will be emotional, especially if the death was unexpected. The funerals of young people are often more tragic than those of the elderly. That’s because the former never really got a chance to live life.

What effect will your absence produce? People may not say a word if you skip the funeral of your high school basketball buddy. But they likely won’t be as forgiving if you don’t go to your mom’s funeral. Deciding not to attend an important family funeral could easily cause rifts with the rest of your family. So you should only do so if you’re absolutely prepared for that. You could even get written out of someone’s will.

You might have very serious reasons for not wanting to go to the funeral. For example, what if the deceased injured you in some way? You may not be ready to face their death or their funeral.

It’s also possible that you feel as though you would be a distraction at the funeral. This could be the case if you were the deceased’s affair partner or secret child. There’s no rule dictating that you must go to the funeral to pay your respects. You can do it in your own way.

You can compromise by attending the wake or the funeral reception but not the service itself. Whether or not this solution works for you depends on what you’re looking for. There are many etiquette rules regarding what to do at funerals.

You don’t have to be aware of all of them if you behave from the heart. The people who care about you won’t criticize genuine behavior, even if it springs from pain. Let your own sense guide you when you’re deciding what to do. That’s a better guarantee for your happiness than blindly following the dictated of society.

There are many funeral homes Reading, PA. The best one to serve your particular needs, however, is Bean Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Inc.. Our team understands grief. We know how to work with you when you’re in pain. We’re located at 3825 Penn Ave, Sinking Spring, PA 19608. We can also be reached at (610) 376-1129. We’re committed to helping you.