Farewell to a Person I Wish I'd Met

This is about the Mother of a very sweet friend who passed over at an untimely 41 years of age.

The service went beautifully - if a funeral/memorial can be beautiful. They started off with "The Lord's Prayer", sung by someone we couldn't see. She had some high points and low points in the singing. Nevertheless, it was still good. Christina's Mother's half-brother delivered a lengthy eulogy on his and other family members remembrances of Kelly during all ages of her brief life. It was very well done and even humorous at points. Kelly's Mother was the second and final one to speak and she mostly got through the reading of a letter she had written to Kelly - after her death. I guess she was trying to relieve her guilt for the years of not getting along with her daughter....don't know. During all of this, Cory was in the back with his Dad and Step-Mother, just babbling out loud and answering back to whoever the speaker was at the time. Poor kid had gone to the front before the service began and came back up visibly shaken and in tears. I think it finally sunk in that his Mother was gone. The minister summed up everything and reiterated that everyone needs to forgive and push aside their grievances in the name of peace and family love. Then the same singer sang "Amazing Grace" and along with bringing down the house of tears, she sounded a lot like Joan Baez. It was amazing. We were all summoned, row by row, to leave and head out to the front of the chapel. I smiled at Christina's Dad's Mother and headed directly to hug Christina. I didn't see Chris and Carole was somewhere behind me. I told her that we loved her and then I left. I didn't say anything to anyone else..certainly not Kelly's Mother and I had already had the displeasure of meeting Christina's father. I know that she has made amends with both her Dad and his present wife, but I won't forgive either of them for how they treated Christina before. Anyway, I'm amazed at Christina's strength, I love her and Chris both, and I'm glad this is behind them.

That's my take on yesterday and I'm sticking to it.