Roses for Ruby & Reg

This week has been a big one for our local community.

Two major identities of our region passed away in the last few days, with funerals being held to honour them.

I couldn’t make it to the first, for the father of a friend of my uncle’s (let’s call him Reg) who would travel some 15km from his own farm to visit his elderly, ailing father (Reg Senior)  in his home every single morning.  Instead, after watering the garden for my mother (she is away) I stole borrowed took harvested some lettuces and roses and dropped them into Reg’s home.  His family were there to support him, but I know his life’s rhythm has been irrevocably changed – I cannot help but think of how different his mornings will be and how sad that will make him.

Tomorrow I will attend the funeral of a lady called Ruby.  She was a sweetheart, a lady, but very strong in that wonderful old-fashioned country way.  She was almost 93.

Both lived long, solid, productive lives and enjoyed seeing their families grow and flourish.

There will be sorrow and celebration tomorrow for Ruby, as there was on Friday for R Senior.  Sorrow for the huge holes in the lives they have left.  Celebration for the fact that this community was richer for having them as part of it.

And while I do not love funerals per se, I do love that in our culture, we get the chance to gather and mourn and celebrate and remember.

I also love cemeteries and their special way of holding sacred the lives of those whose earthly remains rest there.  (I know this seems a bit weird for some, but so many great stories reside in a cemetery if you care to look!)

And I also love the tables laden with pikelets and scones and coffee at the RSL afterwards, as those who gather to farewell also get to share their own Ruby (or R Senior) related stories.

I think each of these steps in the funeral process are vital to help ease the pain for those who loved them, and were part of their lives.

Don’t you?

🙂

BB

(Pics are of the climbing rose, planted by my mother (regular commenter Mx) here at Granite Glen.  They are flowering madly and refuse to let me by without taking a photo! )