Last night I attended my third funeral this week :cry:. The first was for a young man in the church we use to attend. He was about 24, from a "rough" neighborhood, and by the grace of God had overcome all that. He had joined the Navy, was newly married, and doing well. He died in a motorcycle accident (which I'm told was totally avoidable accident if he had been more experienced). The second was for an elderly neighbor. His wife had died a few years back, and he was on his own. The third last night was for a father in our co-op. He had been fighting cancer for several years. We've a large co-op; I knew the situation, but I didn't know the family at all. I had heard Sunday on the co-op's FB page that he had passed. The next day, Phillip told me that "Cicely's dad" had died. I knew Cicely was one of the group Phillip hung with, but I hadn't met her. I asked specifically if her dad was Nick, but Phillip didn't know. I pretty much assumed it was. I asked Phillip if he wanted to go. He said no, he didn't know her dad. I explained that he'd be going for his friend, not for the dad, but he said no. So that was Monday. Last night, Carl and I walked in at 5:00. Phillip asked if we had any plans for the evening. No.... Well, I guess he had received an email from Cicely, asking him if he was planning on attending. He kinda got the impression that she wanted him there, and thought maybe he ought to go. So we were rushing at that point to get dinner done and out the door, but we made it. There were about four other young people from the "group that hangs together, so he wasn't alone. I know it probably helped the young lady to see some of HER friends. I had felt he should go in the first place, but I wanted it to be his decision. Am very pleased that he decided to go. He's attended funerals before, but they've been for relatives. This is the first time he's gone by choice.
It's excellent that he had a heart to go. For each of us, the easiest thing in the world is to do nothing; it can take real effort to do something of which you're unsure. All credit to him for making that decision. I'm sure, looking back, he's glad that he attended.
