As we move into the weekend of this strange world we seem to be living in now, I could find any of 50 articles that tell how funeral directors need to be up to the challenge or how funeral homes may suffer financial hits because of the lack of “gatherings” that are allowed to take place at this time.

However, I’m going to use the ink that I have available to simply take my hat off and “SALUTE” all of you on the front lines of funeral service during this pandemic.  You are the ones showing both compassion and courage as you tend to the needs of our nation’s grieving families.

I know what it is like. . and I know how scary it can be.  I can remember getting a death call about a home death and the caller said, “I should probably warn you, my son died of AIDS.”  This was early in my career and early in the disease onset and not much was known about why all these young men were dying.  I can remember making the removal, working with a much older colleague (who volunteered to do the prep work ) on the embalming, and then going home nervous that I may be carrying some disease that might infect my young family.

However, it is episodes like this that I believe prepared me for an executive role in funeral service.  You see, I had been there myself which caused me to know what my dedicated team members go through to bring compassion to suffering families.  And, I know that if we bring that compassion to these families, our businesses will continue to prosper.

I sometimes wonder if those in the corner offices of death care’s largest companies know the sacrifices that the funeral directors go through to fulfill that role.  Smart business decisions have to be made, however, it should never be only about the Profit and Loss reports when our front line team members need help and quite frankly, may be putting their lives on the line.

A Little About the American Spirit – As we go into the weekend, with many of us in ordered “stay-at-home” social distancing, I also think it is imperative that we continue to be positive and know that the American spirit has always prevailed.  Americans have always worked for solutions to our greatest problems and the issue with the coronavirus will be no different.  It made me think of the formerly very contagious diphtheria epidemics and the “Great Mercy Race” that brought the medicine to the children of Nome, Alaska, in 1925.  If you do’t know that story, here is a short version on it.  And, here is a 3-minute YouTube video of the story.

Finally, here is a movie trailer from the Disney movie, Togo, the story of the “Great Mercy Race”.

Stay safe, social distance, and have a great weekend.

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