I have heard a lot of gleeful old ladies discussing the social aspects of funerals. Sometimes, it seems rather ghoulish, but it’s true, a good funeral is a wonderful opportunity to connect with faces you haven’t seen in years. If people are ‘friends of friends’ or family ‘out-laws’ they may have been part of your periphery for a period in your life, but as you move in different directions, you don’t hear of them any longer.
It was sad to bid farewell to a sweet girl who has been on the edge of life for 26 years. At her birth, the doctors didn’t expect Emily to live out the day, and most days throughout her life were tenuous. Emily was a model of being grateful for every day, for dressing to the nines, and appreciating the close up details of things.
Amid our sadness, it was lovely see see familiar faces from the past, and appreciate the time to reconnect with them. No one seems much changed by time, save a few pounds and some hair colour alterations. I love that.
There is humour in those meetings, as well. A man I hadn’t seen in decades commented tonight that when he would drive through my old neighbourhood that he would wonder what I was doing now. Ha. Now he has the link to my blog, all the mystery will be gone.
;-P
Shawn L. Bird 
You are so right about funerals – even with the sadness, there is laughter, remembering old stories, talking about family secrets and tasting the most amazing food. Great post!
lol. Oh yes, the FOOD! I was sitting at a table with the Pastor, and commented, “Man, these church ladies know how to put on a reception. Those lemon squares are fantastic. I had to go back for a second one. They used butter. I can tell.” He grinned and said, “My wife made those. She’ll be pleased.” It turns out, they buy their milk un-homogenized. His wife takes the cream off the top and MAKES HER OWN BUTTER! No wonder her lemon squares are so fantastic! That’s love in the cooking…