(cedar that i meet on my walk)
Never in your grief be afraid to laugh or smile.
~ Patti Smith ~
My sister and I got the giggles at my grandmother's funeral. We get the giggles a lot so it is not really a surprise that happened.
At my dad's service we didn't giggle. However, people did smile and talk and have a good time. And at the graveside service we had a few laughs as we told stories and shared our memories of him.
We celebrated his life. We did a lot of our grieving over the years of his decline. We are sad now, yet in a very different place for having watched him in pain. He is free of all of that. We are, too.
It was a celebration and it was good. It is good to laugh at celebrations...even in grief.
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After the services for my mom by brother and I wanted to get thank you card out as soon as possible to those who donated to hospice or provided flowers. As we were making out envelopes at his kitchen table my brother started putting on the return address labels and I noticed they had little photos on them.
"Did you know these have pictures of monkeys on them?" I asked. His eyes aren't the best.
"No??!!!" he asked. Then we both burst out laughing. Since some were already done and we needed all the envelopes we just made sure only people who wouldn't really notice/care got the monkeys. As we went through our list I would ask, "Monkey or no monkey?" every time and we'd laugh all over again.
I remember getting the giggles with my brothers at my grandfather's funeral when we were young adults. The last funeral I attended was much sadder, but when we did laugh it seemed to relieve the pain for a few minutes. The shadow and the light.
Yes, one must laugh even while grieving. I laugh and giggle a lot (especially when I am with my sister). It helped me get through the past two years and is helping get through the new grief session.
And the photo of the cedar is great!
Free of all that - what a gift.
Love.
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