Do I really need to attend the funeral?

Wondering if you should attend a funeral? Explore the importance of presence and support at a loved one’s funeral.

Your presence is important. If there is any way possible, please, just be there. When a child is born it is a life changing event for the parents, siblings and grandparents at the very least. It may also be a life changing event for the kindergarten teacher five years in the future. Bottom line, life matters. 
When a life ends, it is also a life-changing event. Regardless of the age at which the person dies or circumstances of the death, lives will change. Family and friends will never see that person again. They will not share in each other’s joy. Neither will they have the opportunity to heal old wounds. They will not hear that voice in praise, love or anger ever again. It’s over, and in some way everyone close will have to adjust to the change. 
The funeral, the gathering together, acknowledges a living person is gone. Your presence says, “Yes, this life mattered. And, yes, your lives have changed. But not everything has changed, you still have us.” Going is important. 
The funeral home is a safe place for the family to receive guests and their condolences. It’s ok to cry at the funeral home. In a few weeks when you see this friend of yours who lost her mom, you will want to say something. And when you do, the emotion will open up and the sadness will surface. Crying at the grocery store or the soccer field is uncomfortable for everyone. 
When people organize a funeral gathering and ask friends and family to come to them to share in their loss and sorrow, to help them. Please go, hold a hand, give a hug, share a memory, offer your condolences, and smile at the video. Let them cry in a safe place. 

cremation services in Hellertown, PA
October 27, 2025
Funeral directors in Hellertown, PA provide expert guidance, emotional support, and compassionate cremation services that help families navigate times of loss.
funeral homes in Hellertown, PA
October 20, 2025
Funeral homes in Hellertown, PA provide families with healing, connection, and closure through compassionate services that honor life with dignity and care.
cremation services in Allentown, PA
October 13, 2025
Connell Funeral Home, Inc. offers dignified cremation services Bethlehem, PA families trust to honor veterans with meaningful, personalized memorial options.
funeral homes Allentown, PA
October 6, 2025
Funeral homes in Allentown, PA offer dignified veteran services with military honors, benefits assistance, and personalized tributes that salute a life of service.
cremation services in Pennsburg, PA
September 22, 2025
Funeral homes in Pennsburg, PA are there when families need them most offering care, understanding, and meaningful cremation services with empathy and grace.
cremation services in Allentown, PA
September 22, 2025
A respectful guide to how cremation works from start to finish, offering clarity and comfort through cremation services in Allentown, PA.
VIEW MORE POSTS