Words from the end
About six years ago, I had the honor of conducting the funeral for a centenarian. As with many centenarians, she was spunky, strong-willed, and a bit mischievous.
She had handwritten a three page letter of her funeral requests with exquisite detail. “Read these scriptures, sing these songs, tell these things.” Then, a final request:
“Well, other than that, you can do whatever you like. But miss me, I would like that.”
So would we all. To be missed means that perhaps we have been loved. This is why it is okay to cry in the ICU, nursing home, and hospice bed when death draws near. Go ahead and cry in the presence of your loved one. Tell them that you love them. Tell them what they have taught you. Then, they will know that they will be missed, that they have been loved.
Of course, if they live through it, then you have to live with those deathbed confessions! But, it’s worth the risk.
Worth Repeating
There is only one happiness in this life: to love and be loved.
-George Sands
