garnering the perfect moments

 We went to a funeral yesterday. An older man had a severe stroke, hung on for about three weeks and then passed away. He and his wife hadn't been coming to our parish that long, but they have made a difference.

I never saw such a line of family as this: a very long line, the young people first, all dressed in black, fresh-faced young men and women, looking me in the eye, interested that I came, how I knew their grandfather. Another woman I spoke to later said she gave out hugs to each of them - they found out she was a "hugger". 

The funeral itself was an example of what a pious family looks like. Normal folks, but who believe - who know - there is another life, another world, not only the one we see with our physical eyes. The couple's daughter spoke about her father, about his devotion to Padre Pio, a remarkable Italian priest who died in 1968 I think; he had the stigmata - really a legendary figure. (My mother had a devotion to him, and often quoted him. She'd say, "Pray, hope and don't worry."  The other quote was, "Life is a struggle we cannot avoid; we must triumph!") The daughter said he also relied on his guardian angel. It was a beautiful service. And the casket was something I'd never seen. Here is the website. Watch the video! 

There were plenty of parishioners there, perhaps the widow chose Saturday for that reason, because most of us went to the cemetery and then to a lovely restaurant afterward. The same one, in fact, I used to go to with my friend, Debra. All in all, very edifying. And peaceful, which was welcome as I'd woken up with a headache which only lessened after taking something, but was still there all day in the background, until this morning. We are in the beginnings of a nor'easter, a big rain and wind storm. The electric company was texting my co-workers as early as Friday. I was thinking the air pressure was the culprit, maybe. But it was a good day.

"...all we need is an awareness of the beauty in life to make us richly content. My definition of happiness is just the ability to garner the perfect moments."

                                        -  Gladys Taber