I’m not a big fan of funerals.
Bob Dylan once sang/mumbled, “Before all beautiful things, there’s been some kind of pain.”
I’m not a big fan of that line either. I don’t like pain, and don’t believe it’s a prerequisite
to joy. Human suffering isn’t my bag. I understand that all our lives will end, but seeing the
pain endured by love ones as they wonder and ponder the moments in front of them in which their
sorrow will be heavy and lives empty weighs on me.
When someone is missing, it creates a emptiness and void that is impossible to fill. A spot in bed,
seat on the couch, the air void of laughter when you need it most. These things create a longing
for what was or for what you feel should still be.
You may try to look towards the bright side and remember the times you had. Those memories can
be rich and fulfilling.
Louie Smirndioudis is a man who filled his family and friends lives with much joy. Very often
the most fulfilling part of a loss is reflection. When you hear about how someone lived their
life and remember the times you shared and laughs you had that reflection can be fulfilling and
lead to self evaluation. Do I value those around me and what canI do to enrich the lives of others
and thus my own?
