Enjoy this wonderfully poetic essay, words of wisdom about living and dying and funerals. It was written by someone who participated in the Celebrant training at ICCFA University who wishes to remain anonymous.
One day you will have a funeral.
Now, none of us want it to happen but we all know it will. Stuffed in a suit, buried in a box, you’ll burn to ashes, walk through pearly gates, chill underground, or maybe reincarnate. Point is your life as you know it will end with red eyes, wet tissues, and tearful speeches filling churches or homes or big grassy fields.
But wait — but wait, wait, wait — because before we get way out there let’s stop for a moment and look at your life. Look at gurgling babies in the bedroom, sultry glances late at night, and cracking high fives with friends… look at skinny dipping after dark, swinging under moonlight in the park, and coming home after school to your puppy’s little barks…
Yes, your life’s full of dirty inside jokes, laughing till it hurts, and smiling so hard till the end.
So one day you may have a funeral in a heavy room full of black clothes, somber glances, and heart-wrenching moments of gut-wrenching grief, but … maybe if you’re lucky there will also be some lighter moments too. Maybe there will be some little jokes, funny anecdotes, and silly smiles shining through the pain.
Laughs at a funeral cut the tension, bring us closer together, and remind us all of the big banging life we shared with you. They slice through the searing weight of your loss and swirl us into smiling about everything we had together while reminding us we’ll all be okay …
AWESOME!