Some people have never been to a viewing or a funeral.

I attended my first viewing and funeral a couple of weeks ago, and here is what I experienced.

Getting dressed is hard because you know you’re getting dressy for a negative reason, but seeing yourself in a nice outfit kind of boosts your attitude.

Walking into the funeral home is hard because you are trying to put on your best poker face and remain calm.

You are greeted by family members and maybe family friends you may know.

The hardest part of the whole process is seeing the loved one you lost. It is a strange and foreign feeling. Seeing them almost seems unreal, as if it’s a prank and someone’s going to jump out with video cameras.

This was the hardest and most emotional part for me.

Viewings usually last for several hours and the next day is the funeral.

The funeral, in my opinion, is harder to attend than the viewing.

Going to the funeral, you see family members again, but this time there’s fewer smiles.

A viewing is more of a social and lighter event but a funeral is more somber.

The casket is closed and there are floral arrangements around. The preacher or pastor says a few words and then everyone says their last goodbyes.

This is the part where people start crying and become emotional. This is where everything kind of registers and becomes real.

After the service, they move the casket out to the grave site and put it in a cement structure, which is called a grave liner, and lower it into the grave.

This is really hard to watch because it’s so final, and it really hits you like the person you love is truly gone.

After the grave liner with the casket is put into the ground, they pour dirt on top of it and place the headstone.

After the funeral, we all went out to dinner and this kind of lightened up the occasion.

People were laughing and eating, and it was a happy situation. It leaves you off on a positive note.

Getting over the person you lost is so hard. I don’t think you ever truly get over it.

Funerals are a part of life that may be hard to experience, but they are bearable.