As noted by Zunin and Zunin (2007), almost all American families considered a very uniform end-of-life funeral service: conducting a traditional funeral that was followed by a very decent burial. However, modern time have come with lots of changes particularly in the way funerals are conducted considering the fact that people have the freedoms to choose what will happen to their bodies once they bid farewell to Mother Earth.
How do you grieve a loved one who opted for a no-funeral service? Though tricky, this is the elephant in the room that needs to be addressed in the swiftest way possible. Well, here are the alternatives to consider if you are found in such a scenario Grieving for a loved one:
#1 Scatter ashes
Scattering ashes can be a great idea if the deceased chose cremation over holding a funeral service. In this case, you will only be faced with the obligation of asking a few family members and friends to utter a few words aimed at respecting the deceased as they scatter his/her ashes. However, you must think carefully about where the deceased’s remains will be laid to rest.
#2 Hold a virtual service
 Yes, holding a virtual funeral service can come in handy considering the current times where the world has raved with the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions, and other problems that necessitate not holding a funeral service. You may consider online platforms to hold a fully functional virtual memorial service any time you are grieving a loved one who opted for no funeral service.
#3 Plant a tree
This can be a great option for loved ones who showed higher levels of attachment to Mother Nature. In this case, friends and relatives gather at a common location then plant a tree or trees in your honor as a way of memorializing the passing of a hero. In case the loved one was cremated, it would be very enticing if the family members and friends chose to add the ashes to a bio urn or have the ashes mixed with the soil/dirt used to plant the tree(s).
#4 Opt for a sea burial
Sea burials could come in handy any moment you want to grieve a loved one that opted for no funeral service particularly if the deceased was a great lover of open waters. In this case, you will communicate with the deceased’s family and friends then tell them the whole idea behind holding an at-sea funeral service. You may organize for activities like chartering a boat as you watch a peaceful sunset (this will work very well if the event is conducted in the evening) or paddling out in a caravan at sea. Just in case your loved one opted for cremation, it would be a great idea to carry the deceased’s ashes, and then scatter them across the waters. It is advisable to carry something like a biodegradable urn just to ensure that the sea burial does not end up into a disastrous moment for Mother Nature.
