"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed..."
1 Corinthians 15:51
I attended a funeral in Alabama this past Saturday. A dear friend of mine named Zaundra had suddenly passed away; leaving behind a young daughter and a host of heart broken family and friends. I met Zaundra when I was employed at the Veterans Hospital in Tuscaloosa. She was a fun-loving woman who had a genuine personality. (We would all do well to leave such a testimony behind). I don't do funerals very well because I unintentionally internalize the entire service and my mind matriculates from my own parents funerals to the funeral of my step-son 6 years ago and even thoughts of my own demise. You see, I never expected to live this long. I actually believed I would die in the military when I participated in Operation Desert Storm, and truthfully, I should have died on several occasions but God, indeed, had mercy on me and so many others. I sometimes make a mess of things, but I am thankful to be given the chance in this life to try to right my wrongs.
At the funeral I sat beside my other good friend, Patricia Jackson, and we quietly reminisced about Zaundra. Before I realized it my tears began to flow uncontrollably and continued for a large part of the service. The ride home was long and very quiet. I think that for the next funeral I attend I will have to bring my family so that afterwards I can focus on life and the living.
Yes, life is short and precious.
Enjoy your loved ones today.
Dennis
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