Death can be funny. Not funny haha, but funny peculiar. It evokes feelings and emotions that are so logical (I’m not really sure feelings and emotions can have logic but just go with me for a sec) that you wonder why you haven’t discovered them before. Death not only brings about many “only if’s” it gives a perspective on what mark we make on this physical world and how it will be when we leave it.

Fundamentally who are you anyway? Do you really take the time to invest in your life and the people around you?  Or do you just walk through each day living that day because there is so much on your list to do you “have” to do it. Life seems so complicated today especially with children, activities and working parents. It can be difficult, it is difficult. You have to make the most of time because there never seems to be enough of it. And, if you’re anything like us, if you sit and relax for a day and do nothing but hang out or watch tv or just chill you feel like you “wasted a day”. There are so many opportunities to do, learn, see and ways to make memories. But I still say it’s complicated.

I went to one of my Mom’s friend’s funeral today which is the motivation for this post. This woman, whom I adored, and my Mom loved so much, passed away on Christmas Eve. She was 93. When I think about her I think that she was one of the few classy, smart, true, impeccable, giving women I have ever met. Her service today made me realize that I only knew a facet of her. The memories shared by her family members and friends during the service made me see how much she accomplished in her life and how many people she touched. I have been to so many funerals and this one was different. Granted it was Methodist and not Catholic which could explain a few things BUT nonetheless it was incredible and moving and emotional to hear from the layers upon layers of family and friends she gave and gave and gave to. The deep message was about how giving and sharing (yourself) was a very gratifying way to live.

Funerals most often make you sad. Celebratory funerals like this one make you understand and feel; feel like you knew the person in death possibly better than you ever thought possible and feel like you need to take a step back and look at how you are living your own life. Today, this service had that exact effect on me. I was so excited that Ellie had so many people around her that just loved her so much. Everyone whose life she touched was happy to have the memories they had and the pleasure of knowing her. She was so connected and that is one lesson my Mom has taught me that has become more and more prominent in my life since I started believing her. 🙂 One day I’ll leave this earth – possibly 52 years from now if I live as long as Ellie did – I can only hope that my story is as rich as hers.

So people, get connected. It seems to be a resounding theme as of late that connections and people are what make the difference in our lives.