If someone asked me “What’s the best part of your job?” it’s that we are doing good works, helping families create an affordable memorial for their loved one.
The worst part? From a technical aspect it would have to be dealing with Google. When you work in a digital world rankings matter. You have to be creative when it comes to marketing the product that no one wants to buy.
So, when it comes to optimizing for infant urns, my stomach tightens and leaves me cold. Which triggers the emotional part of the equation. I really don’t want anyone to have to buy an urn for their baby or child.
Most of the time it’s women who are making the purchase, but over the years I’ve noticed that when an urn is needed for a baby, often it’s the father or a male family member who places the order.
Years ago, about three of us girls were standing around the office waiting for the clock to wind down and we were excitedly talking about babies. We even touched on how awful it must be to lose a child. What? Why were we talking about that?
One of the girls was very pregnant and due to give birth at any moment. Turns out? She did deliver later that evening and let’s just say it was less than a joyous occasion.
So when she came back to work, my heart was breaking for her. Plus, it was super awkward when a baby encounter would happen in the hallway.
GRIEF TALK
Caitlin Doughty has experience with this difficult situation and in this episode of Ask a Mortician she talks about what NOT to say to someone who’s lost their child:
