Has anybody ever had to be on the program at a stranger's funeral? Well, that's how I spent a significant portion of my birthday today. A 15 year old from our church (he wasn't active and his family was moving to Washington) was killed in a tragic accident where the wheel came off their SUV. 5 people weren't wearing seatbelts. My sister in law and I sang "Nearer, My God, to Thee" to a packed house and I was crazy nervous. My leg was doing the Thumper (as in Bambi) thing and my voice was doing a double-time vibrato the whole time I was up there. I think it was because 1) 95% of the people were Hispanic and we sang the first verse in Spanish--I don't speak it! and 2) I didn't know any of them and I wondered if they harbored feelings of animosity toward the singing strangers. (My father in law was in charge of the program last minute and our congregation is teensy weensy).
Anyway, I had two main thoughts while I was at his funeral. One is how a tragedy is heightened when it is preventable.
And also I wondered what kind of repercussions this boy's death would have on the lives of his family and friends. Many mourned him; but there were varying degrees of sadness--even amongst immediate family--ranging from tears to all-out wails. I witnessed parents smiling at their children, tending them, changing diapers ... daily tasks that have to go on regardless of grief. How deep an impact on how many people will this or any death have? What a somber way to end the night.
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