At the start of each day, when you wake up, what are your first thoughts? All the jobs you didn’t do yesterday? What you are going to achieve today? Are you one of those people who wish your working week away to the next weekend? Personally, I am not. However, my daily life is driven by lists of various kinds.
But today was not a day for lists. It was a day of carefully planned logistics. That’s not so different from every other day of the week to be honest. However, there are very few things in life that you just cannot be late for and one of those things is a funeral. In August, I sadly lost a very dear friend of mine. We met just six years ago and instantly connected. Circumstance threw us together and we have supported each other through thick and thin ever since. Diagnosed with a brain tumour in the summer of 2014, she remained determined throughout her year of suffering and was unstintingly supported and cared for by her dear husband. Passing in August 2015, we convened today to lay her to rest.
Walking into the church and seeing her smiling face on the front of the order of service, it instantly became very real that today we had to say our final goodbyes. The church in Wallingford was packed with friends, family, work colleagues, neighbours and more. She was a very special person who touched many people’s lives and was taken from us far too young. Aged just 47.
We did not share a group of friends. Our ‘circle’ had been entirely separate and so I was there, alone. I knew her husband but that was all. A tough day for all of us…. Guests were invited to join the family afterwards for refreshments and there, I met her other close friends and we realised how similar we all are in some ways…. She clearly had a very clear sense of the ‘type of person‘ she wanted to be around. I am honoured to have been her friend and to have shared so many happy times together. There are certain words which I will never be able to say without thinking of her, mostly unprintable ones!
Although she left us far too early, she certainly made the best of the time she had here and we all have many memories to take with us now that she is gone.
Rest in peace, my friend. You will be sadly missed by us all.
