Writing a eulogy for your loved one is indeed an emotionally daunting task. As you begin writing, you remember the good times you've celebrated, and the bad times you've weathered along with your loved one. The nostalgia will fill your eyes with tears, but you must get over your emotions and write a "from-the-heart" eulogy ? a eulogy that is a sincere and an emotional farewell. Here are some ideas and tips on how you must pen your eulogy for your loved one and make it sound like an ode to his/her life:

1. You must first plan your eulogy: its duration should be well under ten minutes but should still capture the poignant highlights in your loved one's life.

2. Remember not to speak anything that is negative and do not reminiscence about touchy issues. Keep the eulogy simple, optimistic and anything but gloomy.

3. Having decided the theme and the tone, you must now collect content. To collect content, you will have to look through photo albums and note down the happiest or even the strangest moments and events in your life. You must also note down your loved one's special qualities, passions, habits and what was it about him/her that made him/her so endearing.

4. Once you have the content ready, you must break it up into three parts: beginning, middle and end. The beginning can be an inspirational quote or even a poem or anything that will stir the audience; the middle portion will be pure nostalgia: the moments you shared, the ups and downs, exhilarating and quirky episodes, quotes and comments and whatever other content you have gathered. The end of any eulogy usually carries a punch. Of course, you need to remember that your punch lines must be in context and, though they may make the listener smile, they should inspire him too. For example, "Mary was the one who used to push me into writing notes, so that I should leave nothing to memory; forgive me Mary, from today onwards I shall consign everything to memory. Your memories will remain with me forever."

5. Though a eulogy is considered formal, it must be written in a conversational, informal tone. Go ahead and read samples by all means, but write out your eulogy from your heart, in your own conversational style.

6. You must not cast yourself as the principal character in your eulogy ? do not forget to mention about people who were close to the deceased, such as her best friend and relations.

7. You must always hand over a copy of your eulogy to a trusted friend or relation, who can finish it for you just in case you are overwhelmed by emotions.

A eulogy is not a biography ? it is more like recounting personal experiences. And when it comes to your loved one, you must make the best effort to produce the best piece you have ever written. After all, it's for your loved one ? for someone you gave your heart to and received happiness, warmth and a fulfilling life in return.