HUMBLED BUT IN SOLIDARITY

A few days ago I received word from Shelmed that 2 of our flower makers passed away
One in the evening and the other, the morning after.

I felt a loneliness that I could not explain .

Our producers , come and go but our flower makers through the years have kept us company.

I thought of death

I thought of the pain of separation

I thought of our many producers who have gone ...one by one...and some I will never get to say goodbye..
They will never be replaced as no one in their family have interest in the business

I thought of the wake that I will miss and hoped that Shelmed officers will find it in their heart to visit with their families .and be in solidarity.

There is something about wakes that make be truly humble
In the casket is a friend who has responded to her mortality
In the casket is a friend who has accepted the end to the first phase of BEING..

HUMBLED.
YET ONE IN SOLIDARITY.

DEATH COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS


AT TIMES THAT WE DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND AND SOMETIMES CANNOT ACCEPT..

DEATH REMINDS US THAT LIFE IS A GIFT

WRAPPED WITH THE RIBBONS OF HELPLESSNESS

THE DEPARTURE REMINDS US THAT SOON WE WILL BE ALONE AND LONELINESS HAS STARTED WITH GRIEF..

LIKE JESUS IN GETHSEMANE...THERE IS GRIEF...
HE UNDERWENT HIS PASSION ...ALONE
THE APOSTLES SLEPT
THERE IS NO ONE TO KEEP JESUS COMPANY


MUSIC
PRAYERS
FLOWERS
PEOPLE AT THE WAKE...

AND YET IN OUR FAITH
THIS PASSION SUNDAY
WE ONLY NEED THE FRONDS ..

TO REMIND US OF PASSION AND DEATH
OF A MAN WHO LOVED US


IN OUR HEARTS THERE WILL BE MUSIC
IN OUR MEMORY THERE WILL BE FLOWERS
IN CHURCH PEOPLE HAVE COME TO RENEW IN FAITH

THAT JESUS HAS STARTED HIS PASSION AND WILL DIE TO RISE AGAIN

AND WE WILL REMEMBER HIS LOVE

WE WERE NOT AT HIS WAKE..

YET TODAY WE ARE HUMBLED AND WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY