The death of a loved one is a painful experience that we all have to face at some point in our lives.

Have you recently lost someone close and now been asked to present the eulogy to all the family and friends?

Please don’t panic, I have some good news for you that will without doubt make it much easier for you.

It was for Tom, my grandfather. When Tom died, my sense of loss was overwhelming. Suddenly I was faced with writing and delivering a eulogy for the first time in my life, in just a few days time.

I deeply wanted and needed to deliver a Eulogy that would be remembered, but I wasn’t sure how. Tom had been like a father to me and now he was gone. His life was so full, and he had done so much, that it was hard to know where to start and how to describe him.

In fact, it was hard to find any words at all, let alone words that would do justice to his memory; words that I would have to present to a room full of people that loved him too. I was feeling pretty emotional and wanted to “keep it together” on the day so I could do my best, and that was nerve-racking to say the least.

You may be in a similar situation yourself as you read this. If so, you have come to the right place…

Writing a eulogy feels like a huge responsibility, doesn’t it? Maybe you are experiencing something similar to how I felt when faced with saying Tom’s final farewell. You’ll be feeling very honored that you have been asked, whilst at the same time nervous and maybe a little apprehensive about writing a eulogy, and perhaps also a little anxious about speaking in public.

Also, you may well be short on time; you’ll likely be helping others to cope, dealing with arrangements for the service, whilst feeling emotionally fragile yourself. Don’t worry, I have been there too.

That is when writing a Eulogy can begin to feel like a real struggle. You don’t want to rush it or ‘wing it’ on the day, but you are just lost for words right now and not sure where to start.

It won’t surprise you to hear that writing my first eulogy, without any help, guidance or experience, took me a long time. And I found it a very tough job.

“I read my Eulogy at my Father’s funeral service last Tuesday and after all my angst writing it, and with the wonderful confidence your book gave me, the vicar said ‘Bravo’ at the end of it and started to clap, which in turn started off the whole congregation in the chapel!

I was taken aback, it was very very appreciated and totally unanticipated as I had been extremely nervous standing next to my Father’s coffin to speak. However, I was sooooo completely happy…