Saying goodbye to friends

Easter Sunday was wonderful, though the weather was cold here. After singing two long services that morning, I should have been dead on my feet -- but all I could think was "He is risen!" I went home and cooked furiously, and (for once) everyone came to the table without squabbling about anything.

No sooner had my Easter euphoria worn off, however, than bad news hit.

One of the parish's dearest older members passed away peacefully in the hospital on Easter afternoon. Not such a bad time to die, I guess -- but I will miss her. I had planned to visit her on Holy Saturday, but caved into time pressures and did not. There's a real lesson here for me. Never put it off.

At her viewing this evening, she looked as calm, gracious and elegant in death as she had in life. And it made me smile to see that at her feet were the ashes of her beloved German Shepherd, Basil. I am planning on this, too -- I want all my doggies with me when I rise!

On Holy Saturday the parish lost another member -- I learned this on Tuesday. This was a former choir member, only about ten years older than I am, who developed Parkinson's and was in a nursing home. I last saw him some months ago. My track record with visiting is not too great. Did I already mention you should never put things off? I should have this tatooed on my forehead.

But, on a positive note -- two of my friends became grandparents this past Monday. So the cycle of life goes on. I like the coming -- the going, not so much.

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