It may feel awkward, as many people at a funeral will know you, but it is customary to begin a eulogy with a brief introduction. Let the audience know who you are, and what your relationship to the deceased was.  This will probably be the easiest part of the eulogy. You simply have to say who you are, and how close you were to your father. This helps give you credibility. For example, you can open with something like, "My name is Jane Sherman, and we are gathered here today to say goodbye to my father, Glenn. I was an only child, and because of this particularly close to my dad. We talked almost every day, even after I moved away from home." Tone is important to a eulogy. You will want to stick with a consistent tone throughout your work. Think about what kind of tone would best convey the message you're attempting to get across.  You may want to talk with your family and the funeral director here. You want your tone to match the service. If it's a religious ceremony, you may want to adopt a somber and respectful tone, for example. However, do not let the service completely dictate tone. You want your tone to reflect who your father was as a person, primarily. If your father was a jovial person, always joking around, you can adopt a more lighthearted tone. Think of your eulogy more as a celebration of a life than an act of grieving. Most eulogies should include at least one story about the deceased. Opening with a story can help engage your audience. Select a story that speaks to your father as a person here. Your story should convey the overarching theme of your eulogy.  For example, say your eulogy is about how your father was always able to find fun, despite having a somewhat difficult life. Select an anecdote that speaks to your father's ability to find levity, despite the circumstances. Say your father died of lung cancer. You can talk about how he faced his diagnosis with humor. You could start with something like, "When my father first found out he had cancer, he joked about his treatment options. I remember him saying to me, 'I'm optimistic about radiation though.' When I asked him why, hoping the prognosis was positive, he responded, 'I'm hoping exposure to radiation will turn me into a superhero. I could be the next Spiderman.'" In addition to capturing an overarching sense of who your father was, work on recording tiny details. This will help ground your audience and give them small, physical reminders of your father to help with the grieving process.  Sensory details can help. Maybe your father loved working outdoors, and he always smelled like soil. Maybe your father loved the color red, and almost always incorporated red into his wardrobe. Include as many tiny details as you remember. For example, "I remember my dad was always singing old Johnny Cash songs, and he had a deep, baritone voice just like Johnny Cash. I would wake up Sunday mornings to hear him singing, 'I Walk the Line' from the basement, the smell of fresh coffee wafting into my bedroom.'" If you're having trouble figuring out how to express something, pull in outside sources. A quote or a reference can help explain something about your father.  If your father was religious, Bible quotes can help. There is a lot in the Bible about life and death, so you can look here. You can also look into books, movies, songs, and television quotes your father loved. If your father was a huge fan of Robert Frost, you can include a line from a Robert Frost poem in your eulogy. A eulogy should not be completely somber. You want to provide some levity. If a eulogy is too serious, it may seem like you're romanticizing the dead. This can come off as overly preachy or sentimental. Find some moments for levity in which you talk about a person's flaws. This can provide a rounded version of the person you're remembering.  Think of something funny to say about your father. Was he overly argumentative? Include a humorous story about him arguing about a bill in a diner long after everyone else had let the issue go. You could say something like, "Despite my father's appreciation for humor, he was not perfect. He could be overly critical, and at times argumentative. I remember once, on a family vacation, we stopped at a Denny's..." A story that illustrates flaws should be light in nature. You do not want to sound like you're angry at the deceased, as this can come off as disrespectful. You do not, for example, want to include the story of an epic, serious argument you and your dad had to illustrate he was argumentative. This will not provide laughter. Instead, focus on a low-stakes situation that will make people laugh. As you wrap up your eulogy, end with a few brief statements that summarize your point. This is where you will get to the meat of your theme. What was your eulogy trying to say? What do you want people to remember about your father?  Think of a few final thoughts that will sum up your father for others. Tell the audience, directly, what you are trying to say. For instance, "What I learned from my father was that life is short, and often brutal, and the best way to combat all that is with a good laugh and an ability to appreciate the small moments of joy, despite any circumstances." You should also thank the audience for their time. Briefly say something like, "I appreciate you all coming out to remember my father, Glenn Sherman, and giving me an opportunity to tell you a little bit more about him. I know he would have been honored to know how many people cared enough to attend."
قدم نفسك. حدد لهجتك. أضف قصة. ركز على التفاصيل الصغيرة. استعن بالمصادر الخارجية. أضف بعض الفكاهة. أضف بضع جمل ختامية.