Saturday, June 13, 2009

Celebration of Life


Yesterday I attended an event the likes of which I have never attended before. A friend's father passed away. They had the funeral and follwed that up a few days later with a afternoon event called " Celebration of Life" for the person who was no more. Instead of the natural greiving and sorrow that usually symbolozes death, this event was focused on bringing out the good life that my friends father had lead. There was a slide show playing and members of the family mingled among the guests sharing the times they had cherished with the person. Somewhere midway during the afternoon my friends mother read a letter she wrote to her husband. It was very emotional and it added the solemn touch to the evening. It was so refreshing to look at the passing away of a family member as unquestionably an unredeamable loss but also as an opportunity to celebrate the fullfilling and joyous life that had now come to an end. I had taken a ride to the event with a colleague and as I was driven back I sat in silence. Was the silence due to the refreshingly new outlook to a life that had just ended and had me dumbstruck or was it because in my own way I needed to stay the course in respectful silence?

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