more aware of death and its proximity and real possibility before its natural time.
As one of my former doctors said “We are going to die; some today, some tomorrow, some 20 years from now.” But it is in a sense the final destination for all of us.
Usually and often when people pass, the survivors are suddenly majorly consumed, distracted, and often grief-stricken. It strikes me that a truly kind and considerate thing parents can do ahead of time is to buy and arrange for their own funerals to minimize the stress, tension, and misery of those they leave behind. (Including an option for body transfer for those people who travel is also a good realistic provision.)
Paying for one’s funeral significantly lightens the burdens of others till they they can get their bearings to deal with the rest of post-death processes. It provides automatic structure for the first immediate event that must occur, even if it’s a belated memorial (in the time of Covid).
Paying for one’s own funeral alleviates a ton of worry and stress a person might also have about how things will be handled when one is departed. It is no longer a factor or consideration in one’s thoughts. Goodness knows we all don’t need more distraction and wasted stress about death than is necessary.
There’s also an option to pay for one’s burial site if one wants to go that far, though that may be best left as a choice for the survivors.