Yesterday, I went to a celebration of a great life.
Someone close to me recently said ” People cry for many reasons at funerals” And I thought about that as I cried through the service. I cried for my own losses but mainly I cried for my friend and her family as well as how so very much I am going to miss this man. I had a file in my mind of this August time with him and all the important and silly things I was going to share with him. Would you believe the day of my planned visit was the day he was raced to the hospital? I did not get my August time with him. And will not again.
At the reception, an acquaintance made a point of telling me she felt sad during the ceremony realizing that her own father had missed out on not choosing to be a part of her life and her children’s lives.
I asked her if maybe a gift of the day would be to call him and tell him she is sad about this and that he is missed in their lives. Nothing to lose after all if the relationship is strained already. She said she was going to do that.
I got into my car to head back to my work up north and thought about how inspired his life and this service had been. I thought about what I need to do next to live more fully.
“The fear of death follows from a fear of life. A man/woman who lives fully is prepared to die at any time” Mark Twain