Funerals, etc

Glad you could make it for our walk today.  Nice to have the sunshine, a little wind at our backs to help with the walk up the hill along the dirt path.


I don't know about you, but my calendar is filled with many events for many days of the week.  It is beginning to be difficult to find time to squeeze in the necessary funeral or visitation that I am seeing with more frequency!  I need to clarify that those many events during the week are with the many doctors that we now share our social time with. 


Yesterday my friend and I met to travel to the visitation for our friend whose Father had recently died.  It was a good visit along the long drive up the mountain, and would be good to see our mutual friend whom we had not seen in a year or so.  We did the usual standing in the long line that began outside on the walk-way entrance, then slowly proceeded up the steps to another long wait on the large front porch of the funeral home.  As we inched our way along a very long corridor, we strained our eyes to see a familiar face among the crowds........surely, there would be someone there from times past!  Not to be!  Are we so old, they have all died?


After an hour or so, we could see the back of our friend as she stood at the beginning of the receiving line.  She was surprised to see that we had made the long trip, and we exchanged hugs, a few introductions, then a short good-bye with a promise to get together soon in the future.  The long wait ended within a brief minute or two! We did leave, however, recalling the many memories we both remembered of the times the three of us had shared together.


I was grateful the casket was closed, draped with the American flag, allowing me to judge that the deceased was a veteran.  I do not like open caskets for a viewing of the body!  I have been exposed to body viewings on people who were bloated, blue, black and gray!  Why in the world would you want everyone to see the horror of illness prior to death.  Nothing is more grotesque than a corpse with make-up! 


And then there is the casket!  This ethereal bed of slumber can cost upward to $10,000!  I know there are cheaper ones but for what purpose?  Therefore, the corpse is placed onto this satin-lined bed, dressed as though he or she will be arising to attend either a business meeting, go to church, go to sleep, or even in their most favored outfit, be able to perform to the requirement of the outfit!  This outfit could be:  Hell's Angel bikers outfit, boots, jeans and spurs, a ballet outfit................the list goes on and on to whatever the remaining survivors decide would make the corpse happy in the afterlife!  Have we not removed ourselves from the 3,000 year-old belief of the pharaohs in Egypt!?


I will spare my family this macabre departure from the world.  I have requested cremation with my ashes to be placed in significant places.  Any visitation as the family requests, with refreshments and a lovely social afternoon together.  If they choose to remember me in any way, let the memorial be with those memories that evoke laughter, not tears.  There will be time for tears with other issues, please do not make one of them about me.


Thanks for accompanying me on this walk today.  The day was sunny, but, alas, the conversation a bit dreary!  I once read that you cannot truly live until you accept your own mortality!  I am truly living, and making each minute a special one! 


Enjoyed the walk......see you next time!