Today I attended a 19 second funeral for my Great Aunt Lillie. Her 89 years of celebration of life lasted mere seconds.
Born 10/29/1920.
Married.
Homemaker.
Widowed.
Married.
Homemaker.
Widowed.
Died 4/21/2010.
The remaining thirty-four minutes and 41 seconds of her service consisted of scriptures, preaching and a final altar call.
This experience has left me saddened. In those few brief seconds, the speaker defined an entire lifetime of a dear woman. Did Aunt Lillie want her life to be measured this way? In the end, it was only her vital stats and titles that mattered. Beyond all of the facts, I wonder, what was her story? What was her passion? What made her weep? That was what I came to hear.
What about us women? We dreamers. Teachers. Healers. The cement of families and communities. What is going to be said about us in the final chapter of our story? Who is going to share all the years of of aspirations, yearnings and accomplishments?
The remaining thirty-four minutes and 41 seconds of her service consisted of scriptures, preaching and a final altar call.
This experience has left me saddened. In those few brief seconds, the speaker defined an entire lifetime of a dear woman. Did Aunt Lillie want her life to be measured this way? In the end, it was only her vital stats and titles that mattered. Beyond all of the facts, I wonder, what was her story? What was her passion? What made her weep? That was what I came to hear.
What about us women? We dreamers. Teachers. Healers. The cement of families and communities. What is going to be said about us in the final chapter of our story? Who is going to share all the years of of aspirations, yearnings and accomplishments?
When it is my time to go. I want to have a show and tell. With lots of giggles and beautiful memories. And bubbles, definitely got to have blowing bubbles for everyone.
As a child, I always loved tagging along with my beloved Grandma to visit Aunt Lillie in the hills of Kentucky. Since she had no children of her own, her home was filled with fancy, frilly and fragile lovelies! I recall her cheerful country kitchen always had treats & sweet bananas. Her cutting and vegetable garden was a magical play land.
In her nearly ninety years of life on this earth, the measurement of her life deserves more than the seconds of "now-you-see-her-now-you-don't".
I wish her spirit, gentle flight and her legacy, loving longevity.
As a child, I always loved tagging along with my beloved Grandma to visit Aunt Lillie in the hills of Kentucky. Since she had no children of her own, her home was filled with fancy, frilly and fragile lovelies! I recall her cheerful country kitchen always had treats & sweet bananas. Her cutting and vegetable garden was a magical play land.
In her nearly ninety years of life on this earth, the measurement of her life deserves more than the seconds of "now-you-see-her-now-you-don't".
I wish her spirit, gentle flight and her legacy, loving longevity.
1 comment:
My husband wants no fan fare...
Just a gathering place ... a
party of sorts...where I am to
hand out whopping cushions...
the glasses with the bushy eyebrows
and nose...and a note that says...
Always keep them laughing!
Not sure how this will go over with his sisters!! But it suits me...and it certainly suits him!
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