Larkin Mortuary - Downtown Salt Lake

Losing a loved one is an extremely difficult part of life and the loss we experience has lifelong effects on us.Queen Elizabeth II stated, Grief is the price we pay for love. This is so true in any loving relationship.It was said by a European psychologist that, Americans are the only people on earth that think death is optional. This is a somewhat comical statement but it also highlights the fact that we have a tough time recognizing the reality of death which affects our ability to mourn or be prepared. The afterlife should not be an afterthought and the best way to prepare for death is to Preplan your own funeral and encourage family members to do the same. When a death occurs, there are literally 100s of decisions that need to be made in a short amount of time. Planning ahead will relieve stress, anxiety and confusion because surviving family members don't need to make all the decisions at such an emotional time. There are many reasons why families feel that preplanning is an excellent choice for them. Many do so because it makes sense financially. You can stop inflation and freeze costs that could otherwise double every 10 to 12 years. At the time of death, the funeral home and cemetery require payment in full. With preplanning, you can customize plans that fit your budget and you can eliminate the temptation that your family will emotionally overspend at the time of death.The most common reasons that families preplan is to protect their loved ones emotionally. They want to put their house in order. They want peace of mind knowing they have made decisions together and that nobody will have to make them alone on potentially one of the worst days of their life. Ultimately, they want to remove both the financial and emotional burden from their loved ones, giving them one last gift after they are gone.It has been a privilege to serve the community for over 130 years and we have 4 convenient locations around the Salt Lake valley to serve you.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Spencer Larkin. Spencer Larkin is the COO/Vice President with Larkin Mortuary and may be reached at 801-363-5781or by email at [email protected]

Wouldn't it be nice to just ride off into the sunset, and when that golden glow is laying on the horizon like a bridge, we just step onto it and walk right into Heaven?Sounds perfect.But life isn't so perfect, and it isn't easy either. But there are many good memories we can all tuck away and carry with us. And we can make the process a little easier on our families by being prepared. Sit with a pre-need specialist and work out the details the way you want. This will give you peace of mind. Next, have the talk with your kids, let them know what you expect. Knowing you are prepared will give them peace of mind.Enjoy life.By facing reality courageously, and making plans, an amazing thing happens: your now free to focus on other things, things that make you happy. We see people sigh a big sigh of relief when their plans are made. And we often see them take up new hobbies, spend more time with grandkids, even take a romantic vacation.So, a few words of advice: Expect a lot of emotions as you get older but avoid dwelling on the negative. Be forgiving and be at peace. Look for something to smile about everyday. Be prepared and put it away.Make somebody smile.Relationships are our greatest treasure. Reach out to friends and family, send notes, make phone calls, drop by for visits, have dinner parties, go for walks with grandkids. Your legacy is going to be the moments you leave them. One family we served lost their father just before he turned 60. He had cancer, and as soon as he found out, he sold his business and spent everyday with his wife and kids, and the grandkids. He was prepared and wanted to make the most of the last 3 months of his time. His kids spoke at the funeral and said they were the best three months of their lives. They laughed. They cried. They couldn't stop smiling.Make yours a happy ending.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Spencer Larkin of Larkin Mortuary.He may be reached at 801-363-5781