My Nan refused to make a will or plan her funeral because she didn't want to tempt fate. It was left in the hands of other people to plan how she should be remembered.
I hope to follow in the great tradition of the women in my family and have a good long life but in case I don't here's what I'd like to happen at my funeral:
It MUST be a celebration of my life. The mourners (party-goers) must wear going-out clothes - no black! I don't want any religious content. I'd like someone close to me (not a random vicar) to make a speech and I want it to be humorous. My chosen pieces of music are 'Moving on up' by Primal Scream, 'Feels like I'm in love' by Kelly Marie and 'Beyond the sea' by Bobby Darin. I'd like readings of 'Remember me' by Christina Rossetti and 'Funeral blues' by WH Auden. I'd like a minimal amount of flowers and would prefer donations to a charity of the attendees' choice. The wake MUST NOT be a traditional wake. No crying, no lamenting. There will be a disco with a light-up dance floor and everyone will eat, drink, dance and have a bloody good time. Remember me as I would wish to be remembered, not as a box in a chapel. Oh and if anyone writes 'much loved' or 'fondly remembered' on a card I will come back as a ghost and hide their cutlery in the freezer!
I've learnt two important lessons in the last month:
1. Be bloming grateful for what you've got because you don't know how long you'll have it for
2. Life is bigger, more precious and more important than silly arguments and falling-outs.
Right. Stop reading, step away from the computer and go and give someone a hug. Go on. Do it or I'll hide your cutlery...
