I Never Understood the Importance of Funerals Until Now
It’s more than just a custom
Funerals are something that no one likes to talk about. Who wants to think about death? Yet we are all going to die. When I was younger, I would do anything to avoid a funeral. When I did go, I would always pick and choose whose funeral I would attend.
My mother had a large family, and we visited them often. When one of her brothers died when I was in college, I refused to attend his funeral. He had never shown an interest in me, so why should I go? I would have had to leave school and drive three hours to attend. That distance was nothing for me to drive in those days, but it was as good an excuse as any to say no.
I regret that now, not because of my uncle but because it hurt my mother that I didn’t make an effort. I didn’t understand why showing up for a family funeral was so important to her. It’s been forty years since my uncle died, and I am just now finally beginning to understand her feelings.
The truth is that funerals are for the living. They’re a time when family members and friends show up to support those who are left. Sometimes, it’s the only time extended family members see each other. It’s a shame, but family seems to be taking a backseat in our lives these days.
