John Smith was born in 1923. He died. Are you afraid that your obituary will lack the luster and emotion for which you are hoping? Do you want more than just a simple notice of your death published in papers or online? Or, since you will be dead, do you care? Not too many people think about their obituary, but I am sure that you have heard people comment about the obituaries of others who have passed. Maybe you have heard comments like, “That’s all they could come up with?” Or, “that was so amazing. It really summarized the type of person Bill was.” So, with that being said, should you write your own obituary?
Over the past few years, and with the pervasive nature of the Internet and social media, many more people are writing their own obituaries than ever before. The obvious benefit to writing your own obituary is that you can say what you need to either about yourself or your family and friends. It can be a moving tribute to your life or can leave people laughing.
In 2017 a man from Tyler, Texas left family and friends in stitches with his humorous, self-written obituary. It was so funny that local news stations picked up on it. About his cause of death, the man wrote that he “was killed when he rushed into a burning pet store to save a litter of purring, adorable kittens. Or maybe not. We all know how he liked to tell stories.” For this man, his self-written obituary was perfect. It made his family laugh and remember him as the fun-loving brother and son that he was.
For other people, they really don’t care what is written about them in their obituary. The feel that their close family and friends will know who they were from their interactions with them over the course of their lifetime.
Still, for other people, they may be concerned that a small family or circle of friends will not take the time and care necessary to honor them when they pass. Maybe they were in the military and would like their old buddies to read about their passing. Perhaps, they don’t have any family and realize that no one will write an obituary if they don’t do it themselves.
While writing your own obituary seems to be somewhat trendy, the bottom line is that you have to decide for yourself if you want someone else to write about you when you pass or if you would rather be the author of your last word here on earth.
