Free Essays on Funeral Traditions

Funeral Traditions EARLY TRADITIONS - Since the earliest beginnings of man on this planet, other humans have buried bodies of dead humans. Archeologists have found shallow graves dug by hand or crude tools. In later dated graves, they have found flowers carefully placed on the body of the deceased. In more recent human history, they have found ancient graves into which tools, hunting weapons and food baskets have been carefully placed. For thousands of years, humans have believed that a dead human body deserves decent and respectful treatment. In the 17th century in Europe care of the deceased was undertaken by the family. They washed and dressed the body, laid-out the body of a period of time in the home, dug the grave, conducted a service acknowledging the life that had been lived by the deceased, and finally, they buried their loved one. Bodies were not embalmed. This European tradition came to America with the original Pilgrims and became the foundation for the American funeral tradition. THE WAKE – Methods of confirming death were crude. Stories of burying life persons were not uncommon. In an attempt to prevent premature burial, families would sit by the body for several hours or a few days watching to see if the person awakened. This became known as the â€Å"wake†. In the Jewish tradition, this became a religious ritual known as the â€Å"watching†. They even have special benches used exclusively for this ritual purpose. During the wake or watching, families would be joined by friends. Today, this tradition is carried on in the form of the â€Å"viewing† or â€Å"visitation†. OUTSIDE SERVICES - In the late 18th century the care of the dead began to be handed over to persons outside the family: cabinetmakers, church sextons and owners of livery services. Each professional had something special to offer. The cabinetmakers crafted coffins. Furniture stores sold coffins and related funeral merchandise. The church sextons laid... Free Essays on Funeral Traditions Free Essays on Funeral Traditions Funeral Traditions EARLY TRADITIONS - Since the earliest beginnings of man on this planet, other humans have buried bodies of dead humans. Archeologists have found shallow graves dug by hand or crude tools. In later dated graves, they have found flowers carefully placed on the body of the deceased. In more recent human history, they have found ancient graves into which tools, hunting weapons and food baskets have been carefully placed. For thousands of years, humans have believed that a dead human body deserves decent and respectful treatment. In the 17th century in Europe care of the deceased was undertaken by the family. They washed and dressed the body, laid-out the body of a period of time in the home, dug the grave, conducted a service acknowledging the life that had been lived by the deceased, and finally, they buried their loved one. Bodies were not embalmed. This European tradition came to America with the original Pilgrims and became the foundation for the American funeral tradition. THE WAKE – Methods of confirming death were crude. Stories of burying life persons were not uncommon. In an attempt to prevent premature burial, families would sit by the body for several hours or a few days watching to see if the person awakened. This became known as the â€Å"wake†. In the Jewish tradition, this became a religious ritual known as the â€Å"watching†. They even have special benches used exclusively for this ritual purpose. During the wake or watching, families would be joined by friends. Today, this tradition is carried on in the form of the â€Å"viewing† or â€Å"visitation†. OUTSIDE SERVICES - In the late 18th century the care of the dead began to be handed over to persons outside the family: cabinetmakers, church sextons and owners of livery services. Each professional had something special to offer. The cabinetmakers crafted coffins. Furniture stores sold coffins and related funeral merchandise. The church sextons laid...

5 Lucrative and Rewarding Trucking Jobs to Consider

5 Lucrative and Rewarding Trucking Jobs to Consider OTR trucking can be a thankless job- long hours, lots of time away from home, constant tedium, and  the ever-present  need for vigilance where safety is concerned. Given how difficult it can be, and how high the entry-level standards are, it should come as no surprise that many jobs go unfilled every year. What you probably didn’t realize is that truck drivers make great money. If you’re independent, a conscientious driver, and don’t mind the lone-wolf lifestyle, trucking might be a good career move for you. The high demand means high pay and job security. The schedules can be flexible, you can live almost anywhere you want, and your view will always change by the mile. Not to mention, trucking companies usually offer great benefits.And that’s just for your normal, run-of-the-mill trucking job. Here are 5 specialized trucking jobs that offer even higher pay, just to give you something to aspire to.Oversized LoadHeavy loads and double-wides get reflecte d in your paycheck. You’ll have to go through special training and licensing for these positions, but the benefits and pay would be more than worth it.Liquid HaulingDriving a truck full of hazardous liquids, gases, or chemicals requires an enormous amount of skill and expertise. The more of each you have, the more likely you are to get the top compensation.Ice RoadThis is one of the hardest, scariest jobs out there. But you can work just a few months each year and make six figures. Of course, you will also have to be exceptionally talented at driving on ice roads in the Arctic Circle through extreme cold (-40 degrees) and though frequent white-outs and storms.MiningThe mining industry has trucking jobs available driving dump trucks to and from mine sites. These are some of the highest paying jobs in that industry. Even as a contractor, you could make $100k a year.InterstateInterstate truck driving is a bit less glamorous, and certainly less dangerous than some of the options above. But it still requires you to drive hard (and safely) to meet deadlines over enormous distances. And the pay is still comparatively very high!