Funerals

I went to a funeral today.

I'm not a fan of funerals. I don't even want to go to my own funeral. But a good thing about funerals is that they remind you of the brevity and value of our life on earth. We all need that reminder from time to time.

It makes you think about all the days you wasted being mad at someone, or the hours you rushed through without taking a moment to savour the bouquet of garden flowers or the sweet song of the bird on the fence. We barrel through life without a thought of what it means when it ends. When that final day comes...and come it will, to us ALL...what will you think of last? I doubt deeply it will be of work, or how you should have mowed the lawn, or what a bad dresser your friend is.

I would guess my last thoughts would be centred on relationships. Did I let my family and friends know I loved them? I'd be praying for God to look after them while I flee to my final rest in Him. I'd hope I poured enough wisdom and counsel into them to keep them living life well. I do know my last thoughts will be about those I cherish.

At the funeral today, I heard so many nice things said about the deceased. But I have a suggestion...Let's tell each other these nice things while we're still ALIVE. What good would it do you to find out I thought you were nice when you're not here to appreciate the sentiment? I'm not talking about flattery...I'm talking about genuine, sincere honesty about something POSITIVE you see in the other person. It makes the journey of life -- which can be so trying and painful and sorrowful -- a little more joyful, a little more worth living.

I'm not a fan of funerals, but I do appreciate what I learn from them.

On a lighter note, I DON'T understand Funeral Crashers. These are the folks who don't even know the deceased, but come out for the free refreshments. How can anyone do that? How can you be so unscrupulous that you'd crash a FUNERAL??? John and I experienced this when his mother passed away a number of years ago. Two fellows showed up at the funeral who we recognized as "society's misfits". John asked them what they were doing there. They looked at each other and said, "We knew Beatrice". Perhaps they weren't aware they were talking to Beatrice's son, but John knew they DIDN'T know Beatrice. "You don't know my mother," he told them. "Why are you here? If it's to get a free meal out of this, you'll have to leave". To which one replied, "Well..okay..can you give us a ride back into town, then?" We laugh at it now, but at that sombre time it was appalling! You see the best and the worst at funerals! lol

If you come to my funeral when I die, I'm just asking you one favour, okay? Please don't look at my pasty, hollow corpse and say, "Doesn't she look lovely?" or "She looks so good!". I'll know it's a lie and I'll ask God's permission to come and haunt you! lol Dead people look..well...dead. When the spirit leaves the body, you can tell it's only a shell you're looking at. What would I rather you do?

Look up and wave, and say, "Geez, Mel...you look better up there than you ever did down here!" That'll be more accurate. And then, if you really must, smile at my loved ones and say, "Her warmth might not be in that corpse anymore, but she left it in my heart".

That'll make my eternity! :)