How are you paying it forward?

Patrick Lewis,
Grounds Manager,
Sunset Memorial Park

Something that I take great pride in is that the families who visit our cemetery know we respect them when they are on our grounds. One of the most important aspects of being a member of the grounds crew of a cemetery is to show respect when someone is visiting or burying a loved one. And, when families visit our cemetery, they know we care because we always turn our machines off while they are on our grounds. It is important to me that families know that we are more than just the grounds crew.

I think this mindset can carry over to everyone within the funeral industry. It is important that families know, no matter who they work with when planning their final wishes or burying a loved one, we care for and respect them.

In today’s world, we have made it difficult to be respectful to others all the time. But, the only way to make a change is by starting small. One small change in how you do things can lead to a greater impact. And, those of us working in the funeral industry have a greater chance than most people to make a change by how we treat the families we serve.

I encourage you to sit back and think about what you are doing to influence others. What small actions can you take to make a greater impact? We can all pay it forward by showing a little respect. The families we serve deserve it.

This article originally appeared in Trigard Tuesdays, our weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/tuesdays.