Grace

I went to a funeral on Friday to be there for two very dear friends of mine, who had lost someone they loved very much somewhat unexpectedly. I've been to a lot of services like that, too many, (I guess one is too many but my scorecard is fuller than most people my age), and have spoken at a few. It's never easy but it can be healing and important to do for one's heart and soul.

I'm not a church going type, I've made my views on organized religion clear as glass over the years, but I was impressed by the service, particularly the homily. The Priest was very genuine, he was very honest, and what he said resonated with me in regards to some of the things I have gone through myself over the last couple of years. Things like the difficulty of forgiveness, the ease of sliding into despair and anger, and the general frailty of the human condition, all of those things were easy for me to recognize and I did take comfort and insight from listening to him. Will it send me back to church, doubtful, but for that moment in time I was glad to be where I was.

Both of my friend's got up to speak and reminisce and I was intensely proud of them. They spoke with love and fondness, and of course sadness but they didn't canonize their lost one. They celebrated his humanity and the things that made him unique, both in strength and weakness, with honest words. That kind of honesty can be hard to come by when you are saying goodbye to someone that you love but ultimately it is the most loving and caring tribute you can give, to tell the world that you valued them so highly despite their faults, despite their weaknesses, despite everything, you loved them unconditionally.

So to my friends, I'm proud of you and I love you dearly. You are remarkable and I am truly blessed to have the kind of love you showed at the service given to me, as you always have and as I will always give back to you.

You're the best.