Saturday 13 February 2016

The farewell

My friend's funeral was held on Thursday.  It was actually a rather wonderful and strangely uplifting event, in the way that these things can sometimes be.  So many people... so much love.  The prevailing conviviality helped a great deal to offset some of the sadness.  As everyone gathered in the bright winter sunshine just before the ceremony, two crows flew up into an adjacent tree and cawed loudly.  Knowing his admiration for these birds, that just seemed perfect.

If there's one regret I have, it's that I didn't spend more time with him when he was well.  We take each other so much for granted, don't we, and it seems there's always a tomorrow.  Still, I must console myself with the thought that whilst I can't help but wish there'd been more of them, at least every single minute that I was lucky enough to have in his company was a joy.








13 comments:

  1. Sorry for your loss. You are right that we do take each other for granted, and forget it won't last forever. I'm glad you have happy memories with your friend to look back on.

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  2. A nice gesture from Mother Nature

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    1. It was - beautifully apt. I may have been the only one who noticed, I'm so tuned in to birds! - but the timing was perfect.

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  3. "Joy and woe are woven fine,
    A clothing for the soul divine,
    Under every grief and pine,
    Runs a joy with silken twine.
    It is right it should be so,
    We were made for joy and woe,
    And when this we rightly know,
    Through the world we safely go."

    by William Blake

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    1. Also very apt SB, thanks - those very words are included on the order of service booklet! He was a fan of Blake.

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  4. Thanks so much Gin G. Yes, you're right about the poem from Singing Bear - so right.

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  5. When the lights are turned out forever
    And the sun no longer shines
    I'll remember the good times
    And put your soul into mine

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  6. Sad loss. Like you I then bemoan the lack of time spent with people but frankly I still don't change my behaviour that much if I'm honest

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    1. It is. I know what you mean about behaviour, it's just the way life is: never enough time, always something else more pressing, it feels like our friends will always be there so the urgency goes out of it. The irony is that I saw him more frequently for a short period when he was very ill, for that very reason, but when he was well we'd had a few loose plans to do things together and we never got round to it. A lesson perhaps!

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  7. So sorry to have overlooked this post C. I can't really add much to the lovely series of comments that have already been left. Thinking of you.

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  8. Thank you TS, appreciated. Having good days and bad days, and I've been surprised at times how intense it can still feel. I can't imagine a time when I won't miss him.

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