I’m not sure why it’s hitting me so hard. A moment I witnessed this evening. It was only a 2-second glance out my truck window as I drove by, but that image is seared in my mind tonight. I believe God wanted me to see it…for some reason.
A week ago, our community lost a man suddenly – death.
The past 6 days, his family, friends, and acquaintances have celebrated his life.
Though I believe his family believes that his eternal soul is rejoicing in Heaven, there is the process of his earthly body still being here – until burial.
I have been through the death and burial process, but not with a loved one so close in my every-day life.
I don’t know that ‘ripped-away’ feeling.
Maybe tonight was an eye-opening gift to me.
To try to understand….
The image is of a mother and wife, her arms draping the shoulders of her grandson. Her son, his arm around his younger sister’s shoulder…I assume comforting her grief. They stand before the freshly dirt-and-clay-covered grave. A beautiful bouquet of flowers set on top of the dirt; Sunflowers stunningly protruding from the bouquet.
That’s it. It’s only them.
No relatives; no family friends.
No tent; no truck or equipment finishing the business.
Only them.
It is a beautiful, balmy 70 degree day.
The sun is shining and the day is a ‘Day of Rest’.
And it’s only them.
Maybe that’s what’s striking me tonight….
It’s Only Them.
Is this the part where loved ones finally ‘exhale’ after the sting of death?
After the crazy whirl-wind experience of trying to grieve in the midst of having to make numerous decisions you don’t even want to make and just wish everything would go back to the way it was just a few days earlier? In the midst of trying to comfort others as they grieve your loss as well, and trying to graciously accept the condolences of well-wishers… when you really just want to be alone and pretend it didn’t happen?
Is this the ‘exhale’?
Is this the moment where the grief is finally free to flow, however it falls?
Is this the moment of reality setting in?
Or, is this the hard moment of acceptance?….
I guess I don’t know, because I haven’t been there yet.
But it was a beautiful, sacred moment that I will never forget.
