Why is so important to say goodbye.....  

Goodbye means "God be with you" so technically it just saying that God will always be with you, that you will be safe. It is important because you're blessing the person in a way of asking God to protect whom you said goodbye to. I am not sure about the burial celebration if it's rooted in the body of Christ or if it's pagan things but having this ceremony, with all the prayers and your presence to be their, is indeed important. It's like saying "God be with you" on the last day of the person's body before burying six feet below the ground, until he goes to heaven.

I believe the whole funeral and burial services are for those of us that are left on this Earth. For us to have one fair chance to say good bye. To give a ending of there life and celebrate the years that we got to spend togetheir.
Yes it's sad and yes it brings tears to are eyes.
Of Grief and happiness just knowing that we have known them in are lives. To me when we die are bodiess they are lifeless... we are no longer there... So are spirts are already taken.. Like I said are bodiess to be laid to rest are for those of are families are friends to have one last time to see us and get to getheir to celebrate the life we've had.
It's important because it's a way to put closure in are hearts for our loved lost one.

Hi there,

very engrossing topic. What you did for your friend is more than one could imagine and you got a chance to say good bye too. This good bye is important for this is the end and at the end we say good bye.

Just what you know? even when we part from each other after spending sometime together we say good bye for a 'good bye' is the end and we are not sure if or not we would meet again. If met would laugh and share and if not adieu my friend.

Perhaps this is why this is so important.

Saying goodbye does not mean that you should forget the good times. It is only done for closure. Would you rather not say goodbye and not know if that person exist? You are still fortunate enough to have given your final I love you and Sorry. I know a few that is still searching for their love one's presence. Your dad is at home now. It is nice to know that someone is waiting for you in the other side don't you think?

Because it's the simplest way to inform others that you will be away and for them not to worry with you too much anymore. It can be sad because they will miss you but at least they know that you're going to depart. it can be hard to those who were close to that person, at least it gives them the chance to move on once it's over.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I think a burial is like a total closure. Like that is in the form of goodbye. It is also like a form of formality; like giving back to God back the body; spiritually, that's what I think..

Different religion have different ways of expressing this but most have a proper closure. In a basic sense sort of way..

To me, saying goodbye, those final acts of burial, help to make it all a realtiy. Let me explain. Eleven years ago, at only 5 weeks and 2 days old, my son passed away. It was, needless to say, a very traumatic time for me and my family. I was in a state of denial about his death until the time came for his funeral. For the three days after he passed away until his funeral, there was a huge part of me that wanted to believe it was all a horrible nightmare that I would awaken from. WHen we had his funeral services and told him goodbye, there was a sense of closure for me. As much as I didn't want to admit it, it was final, and I had to accept that he truly was gone from this earth. Had I not been there, I could have very well gone on in a state of denail for a long time. When my Grandmother passes away last year, I was unable to go to her funeral. It didn't really sink in to me that she was gone until later on in the year when Grandpa passed too and I was able to go to his funeral. So, to me, Grandma's death was not really real until I went to Grandpa's funeral and she wasn't there.
This may not make much sense to you, but it does to me. I feel that in a wary, a funeral service is more to help those of us that are grieving to accept reality than anything else
My other Grandpa passed away some years ago, and as he had alwaysd requested, we had him cremated and then, after a month or so, we held a memorial partty for him. It was his wish that we wait until we could look back and remember him how he was in his younger years; before his death. He didn't want any of us to cry for him because he knew that he would be in a much better place once he died. For me, the fact that there was never really a funeral didn't really giveme closure. Having a memorial party, as he wished, did help me to think of him as he wanted to be remembered, but it gaveme little in the closure department. To this day, when I think about him, I think of him as he was when I was younger and he was still alive. That's not a bad thing except that, although I know he is gone, I never had that chance to really grieve for him and say goodbye.

hi horns my friend,

I think it is important for us to have these burial rites whatever they are based on our culture and upbringing. It is important to put that outward shell, the body to rest as a visible way of saying good bye. Somehow to come to terms with the fact the beloved person is not with us visibly any more but there is a saying here, only these who are forgotten are really dead.

And no you are not weird for these deep feelings at the funeral and the spreading of ashes when you have only known Dave for 4 years.
I only knew my dad in law for 6 months when it was his time to go and I was heartbroken and devastated. I was not really considered family at that time cause we were only engaged and had not set a marriage date yet. But I was the only one of the family who cried.