Style does not end in death

The death of my grandfather refreshed my memory of how I wanted my own funeral service will be. I never know when the death reaper will will come knocking on my door. So I want a plan to make my transition in life to be an eventful exit. I want my memorial service as a “celebration of life”. Sort of a creative way of expressing love and respect for me.

I want it known to all my friends that I’ve passed away. And it is time for my last hurrah, my last “eksena.” I wish to inform my friends from Pampanga, Manila and elsewhere. I’ll start filing some numbers and ways to contact them to inform them. Or maybe I’ll just leave my username and password to my social networking sites to some trusted friends so they can easily reach them. It will be just one shoutout at Facebook and a group message in yahoo messenger to let a bulk of my friends know.



If possible, I want Edward Buco to be there. At the time of this writing I haven’t know how to contact him. I miss him dearly. ♥

I want a green and white theme, sort of garden theme with a hint of tropical beach. Lots of verdant green foliages and white flowers – white roses, cattleyas, sampaguitas, orchids, liliums, any bloom that is white. I want white sand and white shells strewn near the place where my urn lies. I want it to be simple, elegant and lush.

I wish to be cremated. Cremated even before the wake, I just want my urn of ashes on a table for my funeral. As for my urn I still can’t make up my mind if I want a black urn or something with pearl inlays to complement the beach theme I wish. I’m still thinking of giving some of the ashes to those people who had a place in my heart and let them scatter it to the places they know I loved.

And please I don’t want any of the religious images with rainbow colors that the funeral parlor provides to be used in my wake. And I don’t want any of the floor lamps and candle holders that they provide. I want simple yet stylish floor lamps, lampshades and candelabra that will go on with the theme.

I want some of my favorite photos of myself blown up and displayed. I’ll choose one particular photo that will be put on an easel near my urn. I’ll start choosing photos and putting them in a folder on line just in case.

I want songs playing in the background. From classical music to reggae songs I like. It is, as I’ve read in an article in newspaper, “to shock people out of grief. The easement provides a calming effect.” I want the people to remember I had a full life and also help soothe the grieving souls of the people I left behind.

I wish Philip Jarilla, Paolo Pagaduan to strum some of my favorite music at my wake. Philip can also play the sax. Philip Zara can also play the trumpet. Everyone is free to play an instrument, recite a poem, and sing a song as long as it isn’t a melancholic piece but an upbeat one.

For the funeral march in the church, I want Toffee to sing. ♪♫ Philip can play the sax, Paolo can strum the guitar and Charlotte Job can play the organ to accompany him. I still can’t decide what song. A song befitting for the life I lived. Hmmm.

I want to be laid to rest in time with the sunset.

I still haven’t started writing a memoir yet. I planned on writing one or two but just in case I fail to do so, I want my closest friend to tell some stories to my family especially my parents and aunts. I know there are some people who know me more than my family knows me. I wish for them to impart some anecdotes about me and my life.

Style does not end in death.