Jackson, Marilyn

Background and experience

I first joined the Society in 1991 and have long admired the work of our celebrants.  Took voluntary redundancy, after 34+ years of working with councillors for the City of Edinburgh Council, and trained as a celebrant in May 2008. 

Having wanted to be a celebrant for such a long time, I worried that I might get too emotional!  However, all my feedback has been very positive and I find this work the most rewarding I have ever done. 

What humanism means to me

Humanism isn't just the negative of not believing in a god, it is about living a good and ethical life, respecting other people in all their diversity and making a contribution to society.

How I feel about being a funeral celebrant

It really is a privilege to meet with families and use their reminiscences to write a fitting tribute to their loved ones and to deliver a ceremony that centres on celebrating the life that was.

How I feel about being a wedding celebrant

My husband and I had a humanist ceremony in 2003 (in the days before they were legal, so we had to have the civil ceremony too) and it was a wonderful experience.  With guidance from Ivan Middleton, we really enjoyed writing our own script, choosing poems etc and involving my son, my step-children and my best friend.  It is lovely to have your guests say how much they liked your ceremony and know that you and your partner wrote it!

That is the approach that I take to helping couples plan the centre of their special day.