“This I believe
” is a series and book by NPR where individuals, famous and not so famous, share essays. The following is a quote from one of my favorites:
Always Go to the Funeral – Deirdre Sullivan
“Sounds simple – when someone dies, get in your car and go to calling hours or the funeral. That, I can do. But I think a personal philosophy of going to funeral means much more.
‘Always go the funeral’ means that I have to do the right thing when I really, really don’t feel like it…I’m talking about those things that represent only inconvenience to me, but the world to the other guy…In my humdrum life, the daily battle hasn’t been good versus evil. It’s hardly so epic. Most days, my battle is doing good versus doing nothing.”
Yes! I just talked about this with my friend, Andrea, who lost her dad very suddenly just a few weeks ago. She related a comment one of her co-workers made to her the day after the funeral. The woman said offhandedly, “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the funeral. I intended too, but I overslept, and I just couldn’t get my act together.” So inconsequential to her…so important to the person who is suffering such a grave loss. Really, it doesn’t take so much effort to make it to a funeral…and it makes all the difference in the world to the grieving person.
I like that, Jeanie!