January 2020

Page A4 JANUARY 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A By Nancy Weil Can You Come Out to Play? As the year begins, we re-evaluate our lives, make res- olutions to focus on and vow to end the year in a bet- ter place than where we started it. There is one item likely to be missing on your New Year’s Resolution list: Go Out and Play. While we may take our work se- riously, we need to take our lives lightly. The burnout, stress and compassion fatigue can become overwhelm- ing, especially when we don’t have time for fun. With- in each of us is a little child that just wants to play. It is the aspect of our personality that remains from our childhood that wants to be heard, assured and nur- tured. During our busy “adult” lives, we shut this part of ourselves down and fill our days with “important” matters and ignore the cries of our child that reminds us that play is important, too. The saying, “ We don’t forget to play because we grow old; we grow old because we for- get how to play ,” is true. Make a commitment to an Inner Child Outing each week and you will be amazed at the impact it has on your life. Do not confuse how your “adult” self-de- fines fun and what your “child” sees as a fun activity. They are very different. Dinner with a friend = adult fun. Adult coloring book = adult fun. Gym, golf or fitness activities = most likely adult fun. Your child wants to “play for no reason.” When you are on an In- ner Child Outing you will laugh deeply and feel light and worry-free. Begin to make a list of activities you can do, or better yet, just start doing them. If you have young children or grandchildren, they will show you how to occu- py your time with play for children do this naturally. Random Musings You can think back to your childhood and recall what you liked to do and start to do it again. Jacks, going to the playground, pick-up basket- ball games are all examples of inner child fun. Here are some of the things I have done for my Inner Child: • Carpet Picnic – throw a blanket on the floor and have an indoor picnic dinner • Chuck E. Cheese – play games for one token each, cash in your tickets for a toy and catch the “show” • Sculpt a masterpiece with modeling clay • Have a family game night • Go to an Improv Comedy Club or better yet, sign up for classes! • Wear a costume or get a temporary tattoo • Bite the heads off of some animal crackers, lick out the inner filling of an Oreo cookie or enjoy another childhood snack It doesn’t have to cost money, it doesn’t have to take too much time, but it does have to be some- thing you enjoy. By making this one commitment in 2020, you will find your stress dropping, your joy increasing and your ability to “find the fun” heighten. Everyone wants permission to play and this is my invitation to you to stress less, laugh more, play often and live life joyfully. www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. Blogs Serving as Member Resources Director at the International Order of the Golden Rule, Nancy Weil brings her years of experience work- ing in the funeral industry to funeral directors across the globe. Her professional experience includes serving as Director of Grief Support and Community Outreach at Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater, FL and at eleven cemeteries in Western New York. Nancy travels throughout the country offering presentations on how to reduce stress, combat compassion fatigue and offer support for those who are grieving through her company, The Laugh Academy. With certifications as a Grief Services Provider and Grief Manage- ment Specialist, Funeral Celebrant, Soul Injury Ambassador and Laughter Leader, Nancy is uniquely qualified to bring new perspec- tives into how to best meet the needs of the families you serve. For more information on how Nancy can help you and your company grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or e-mail Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com. Playing Princess What If.. You could spend thousands andmakemillions of dollars over the years? Youwere the only one, worldwide, offering these headstones? You could offer hundreds of c o l o r s for headstones? E-mail Charles.Myers90@yahoo.com for details. patent pending Día de los Muertos Festival at Forest Lawn Catrina Gabriela Kostadinova and Mariachi Fernando Duran pose in front of a tunnel of rainbows COVINA HILLS,CA— Thousands of guests enjoyed Forest Lawn—Covina Hills’s authentic, family- friendly Día de los Muertos festival on October 27, 2019. The lively community celebration honored the memories of the dead while illuminating the rich his- tory of the holiday. The event offered continuous entertainment on two stages including performances by the all-female group Mariachi Divas, Lucia Parra – Folklorico Internation- al dancers, and Aztec dancers on the Mainstage, and Gary Ferrer and St. John’s Angels dancers and Frank- lin Haynes marionettes on the Children’s Stage. A live Catrina and Mariachi posed for photos and mingled with crowds, who enjoyed arts and crafts, face paint- ing, a Vendor Faire and Farmer’s Market with over 80 booths, and community altars, where guests could place photos of and offerings to departed loved ones. Vibrant Comforters of Love comforters were on display, mark- ing Forest Lawn’s donation of $500 and comforters to Sacred Heart Catholic Church. To conclude the event, Father Mario Juarez led a bilingual service with Maria- chi Juvenil Herencia Mexicana. For more than a century, Forest Lawn has been an inte- gral part of Southern California. Since its founding, For- est Lawn has committed itself to providing outstanding service and beautiful environments for family outings, remembering loved ones and commemorating holidays. Forest Lawn’s locations in the Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties serve all faiths and cultures, and offer a wide range of celebrations and special events.