The funeral is the moment when bereaved families mourn their deceased beloved. Friends, colleagues and the extended family relatives join up together with the closest relatives to mourn and comfort each other. It is noteworthy that people are different. Thus they respond uniquely, that may seem ideal or unusual. For instance, while some people may cry, others will express joy and celebrate the legacy of the deceased. Sadness expressed through crying is a commonly expected mood and feeling at any funeral especially for close relatives. Whether one cries or not at the funeral, does not necessarily mean they are not mourning. However, some express ambivalent emotions, which may leave the crowd in suspense of common intention. Irrespective of how one expresses their feelings, people ought to respect one another and most importantly the family of the bereaved. This is why further funerals researches are needed to help educate people of the different reactions to death. Accommodation of these different responses is mandatory to maintain peace and calmness at any funeral.

Four tips to prevent feeling bad for not crying at funerals

People express their emotions differently; don’t feel guilty for how you do it

Personality traits of an individual determine many things in their lives. Among them is their ability to express themselves, talk or feel concerning major events that happen in their lives and that of other people. Human beings have the liberty to express oneself verbally or through actions without judgment from other people. The same applies to personal expressions at funerals. No one is restricted to a particular way of reacting to death. Crying and sobbing is allowed but is not mandatory. Besides, some people consider death to be the way one rests from troubles of this world. This means it should be worthy of celebration, which is not conducted through crying!

Funerals are supposed to comfort and not necessarily to cry

Have you ever found yourself not crying at funerals and wondered whether it is normal? Worry not! It is perfectly fine to feel that way. Besides, a funeral service exists to allow friends and family to extend comfort to the bereaved family. Comfort can be done through different ways. In fact, crying at a funeral may limit one’s ability to comfort the family of the deceased appropriately. Overwhelming emotions can result in irrational thoughts making one forget the real reason for the funeral - comfort. If you feel unable to express yourself through crying as other people do, then offer support through any possible way that would be considered by the deceased family members.

Become engaged in other activities the deceased family will benefit from

Various activities and chores at any funeral may involve taking care of the kids, preparing meals and serving visitors. Since one may feel uncomfortable being in a crying crowd without feeling the urge to do the same, it is advisable for that person to find some activities to prevent the bad feeling or stigma. The deceased family directly feels every effort from friends and colleagues at a funeral. It is a way of passing your condolences and comfort to them. Instead of worrying about crying, find some responsibility to accomplish in your pursuit to comfort and show your love for the deceased.

Appreciate and accept yourself

It is one thing to understand yourself, and an entirely different thing to accept and appreciate yourself. People have different personalities, which should not be a point of embarrassment. If you are not a crier at funerals, accept the fact it is happening to you. Do not worry about other people. Instead, appreciate the fact you are different. Do something you can to place yourself in a more or less comfortable position. It could be serving or child-care which may mean a lot to the mourning family. Only through accepting yourself you can feel comfortable and guiltless of the things that you do differently from other people.

It is important to mourn with those who mourn due to loss of a beloved. As people gather to do the same, different expressions of sadness or related emotions are expected. Commonly, people cry at funerals. However, some do not cry due to personality differences. To those who do not cry, accept that you are different from those who do and engage yourself in other activities that would help to comfort the family. Always remember expressing love and comfort to the deceased family is paramount and is not limited to crying.