A dear friend of my late Grandma died this week.
Hazel was a faithful friend to my Grandma as my Grandma experienced the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Hazel was a wonderful woman, always full of joy and life, even in the midst of her own great pain.
And today Hazel walks on streets of gold, standing in the presence of the Almighty God. I’m rejoicing for her, set free from this body of sin and death–while all the while weeping for those of us left on earth, separated and still bound.
Tomorrow’s question:
What was your first encounter with death? Was it a person or an animal? Did you have any rituals or otherwise “do” something with you grief? Or did you even understand what was going on?
My grandmother passed away when I was about four, but I don’t remember any specifics from that time. I do remember her, A great-uncle passed away when I was a little older, but we weren’t very close and I wasn’t taken to the funeral. Other than that I don’t remember encountering death until a beloved pastor died in my early married years. I thought I would be extremely uncomfortable at the viewing with a dead body in the room, but it was actually kind of a comfort. I knew mentally he was no longer there, but seeing him made it abundantly clear, and somehow that helped. Funerals, too, I thought would be very hard, but I have found they do help, with grief, with gaining perspective, with seeing others there as well. Though the viewing and funeral for my mom were very hard, they were healing as well.