09-27-2010, 10:46 PM
Hey everyone, (and Lorna- thank you for your post, I really enjoyed it!)
I'm happy to report that everything went very smoothly on Friday. I did not have any discussions about religion or even feel that it was in any way a subliminal topic when talking with my extended family members. Hurray! Whatever proactive religious tendencies my loved ones have has either lost its appeal in general or has lost its appeal at a ceremony such as a funeral. I think it was probably a combination of the two. That goes for me as well- obviously since no one asked me about my beliefs I did not espouse any of them, but it also became so very obvious how inappropriate such a conversation like that would be at a funeral. Even entertaining the thought about discussing my beliefs that day just left me cold.
I also have to say that the funeral was an amazingly (and surprisingly) emotional experience for me. Despite my intellectual knowledge about my grandfather's eternal soul, I found myself grieving quite easily at the sight of his remaining vehicle. It was almost a biological reaction, which took me off-guard. I could barely keep it together during the family-only prayer in which my now widowed grandmother remarked how beautiful all her children and grandchildren were. And I was only able to sing through a croaking voice during the religious songs that we offered. And again during the 21 gun salute and playing of taps by the local military representatives (my grandfather being a WW2 vet) was amazing powerful. But again, it was strange because I wouldn't call myself "sad" about his passing really... I have a hard time putting my finger on it. Closer would be to call it an "honoring" I think. Of my memories of him, of who he was, of what he did and what he stood for.
The whole experience was amazingly rejuvenating I must say, even though I was physically exhausted afterwards. And especially so being in a group of people who are expressing the same. An almost magical experience.
I'm happy to report that everything went very smoothly on Friday. I did not have any discussions about religion or even feel that it was in any way a subliminal topic when talking with my extended family members. Hurray! Whatever proactive religious tendencies my loved ones have has either lost its appeal in general or has lost its appeal at a ceremony such as a funeral. I think it was probably a combination of the two. That goes for me as well- obviously since no one asked me about my beliefs I did not espouse any of them, but it also became so very obvious how inappropriate such a conversation like that would be at a funeral. Even entertaining the thought about discussing my beliefs that day just left me cold.
I also have to say that the funeral was an amazingly (and surprisingly) emotional experience for me. Despite my intellectual knowledge about my grandfather's eternal soul, I found myself grieving quite easily at the sight of his remaining vehicle. It was almost a biological reaction, which took me off-guard. I could barely keep it together during the family-only prayer in which my now widowed grandmother remarked how beautiful all her children and grandchildren were. And I was only able to sing through a croaking voice during the religious songs that we offered. And again during the 21 gun salute and playing of taps by the local military representatives (my grandfather being a WW2 vet) was amazing powerful. But again, it was strange because I wouldn't call myself "sad" about his passing really... I have a hard time putting my finger on it. Closer would be to call it an "honoring" I think. Of my memories of him, of who he was, of what he did and what he stood for.
The whole experience was amazingly rejuvenating I must say, even though I was physically exhausted afterwards. And especially so being in a group of people who are expressing the same. An almost magical experience.