The Big Reunion

Today when I went to Dorian Carter's funeral I got to see so many friends with whom I rarely cross paths. I saw Mike Skembo, Alex Westwood, Becca and Kristen Case, Shauna Erickson, Bob Asay, Mary and Jess Taylor, and so many others. There is something nice about weddings and funerals and that is that you get to remake connections. So many people move into and out of the Dallas fourth ward. Some stay for 30 years and some stay for three months, but there is still a connection.

A lot of people showed up for the funeral. The chapel, overflow, and half of the cultural hall were full. So many showed up to show love and support. I hope the family felt comforted. I was a little disappointed that there were no special musical numbers but I guess that is a personal choice. When I die I want John Wiseman to sing something beautiful for the service. I have already placed an order.

Maybe it is just really hard to have a great feeling about a funeral for a 26 yrs old. When an older person dies the funeral is kind of like a graduation ceremony, a "Job well done" celebration. But when a younger person dies the timing feels odd for a graduation. It would be like handing a third grader a diploma. This just doesn't feel right to me. I am not trying to second guess the philosophy, "When its your time to go its your time to go." I am not second guessing this because I don't feel that way at all. I find an untimely death to be particularly sad. I find it sad that parents are still around when their children are not. I think that most, but not all accidents can be avoided by following safety precautions and by making wise choices. You know, when you look at it this way, you allow yourself to learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others.