a funeral

Yesterday I went to the funeral of a person that my brother and I went to school with. I hadn't seen him for years, but I knew him to be a good man, someone who radiated good will. His death was sudden and unexpected. A car crash, no-one else on the road. It can happen as simply as that.

I'm glad that people in my home town still treat a person's passing with dignity. There were about 200 people in the cortege going to the church, and the church itself was packed. I got to thinking about how gentle everyone was being, in simply being there in support for the family and the people that loved him, just standing there in silence, just being present, walking-with, walking-beside. Maybe chatting about everyday stuff with people not seen for a few years while walking behind the hearse, but that felt like part of it, too. Recognition of each other's humanity. Respect. Support. Presence. Community can be very, very real.

The priest described him as a kind and gentle man. I'm glad he had a kind and gentle send-off.