Goodbyes

We've had a spate of funerals in the past three months - my brother Colin on 19th September, Cathy's mother-in-law Marian on 18th November (Colin's birthday!) and our friend from Kennington days, Bert Brown on 25th November.   Colin having professed himself to be a non-believer, his service was somewhat muted: conducted by Revd Talisker MacLeod from the church my sister Margaret attended for many years, she steered a delicate path between atheism and Christianity.   Some commented on her unusual Christian name but the history of the MacLeods shows it to be entirely appropriate.   Marian's was even less religious - no prayers except the Lord's Prayer, no priest but an "Independent Minister", who spoke very well about the way Marian had enriched the lives of so many people and will live on in our hearts.  Bert's was the most "orthodox", conducted by Deacon Beverley Miles.   Bert was a World War II veteran and two poems reflected this: at the start of the service -

"When you come to the end of a perfect day and you sit alone with your thoughts,
While the chimes ring out with a carol gay for the joys that the day has bought,
Do you think what the end of a perfect day  can mean to  tired heart ?
When the sun goes does with a flaming ray and the dear hearts have to part?
Well, this is the end of a perfect day, near the end of the journey, too,
But it leaves a thought that is big and strong with a wish that is kind and true.
For memory has painted this perfect day with colours that never fade,
And we find at the end of a perfect day the soul of a friend we’ve made."

And at the end .......

“Miss me, but let me go.......”

"When I come to the end of the road and the sun has set for me,
I want no tears in a gloom filled room - why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little, but not for long, and not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we shared - miss me but let me go
For this is the journey we all must take and each must go alone
It’s all part of the Maker’s plan a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart, go to the friends that we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good works - miss me, but let me go."

May they all rest in peace.

All Saints 2011

A lovely service on 30 October in a small, ancient country church seating about 75 - there were about 80 of us! How appropriate that it falls so near Remembrance Sunday - we all sang lustily "For all the Saints" which I always confuse with "O Valiant Hearts".
Next is All Souls - but I will not be praying FOR my loved ones, I will be asking them to pray for me, and to forgive all the opportunities I missed to demonstrate my love for them whilst they were still with us.   My brother Colin was my most recent loss: he was exactly a year and four days younger than me and we grew up almost as twins.   He was heartbroken when I had to leave him to go to school, so Mother had a word with the headmistress and he was allowed to start with me.   Later that first morning Mother heard a tapping at the front door and there was Colin - he had walked home from school, only about a quarter of a mile, no busy roads, but Mother was surprised to see him.   "What are you doing here?" she asked.   "I've finished" said Colin.   "What do you mean, 'finished'?"   "I've learnt everything" he said with confidence.   He was like that: he used to say - in fun of course - "If I had a fault, which I haven't, it would be modesty".   May they all rest in peace.