Remembering ...

Today I was getting caught up on reading some of the blogs I frequent, (when I have time) and I found a story over at Following Frodo that reminded me of a moment in time when I realized how important it is to have family and friends ...

Gord mused on presiding over the second memorial service for an individual who had no survivors ... I've done my share of very very small memorials ... I did one once where I needed to to do double duty as the fourth pall bearer to carry the casket in and out of the chapel ... but I remember vividly standing in a cemetary in the Lower Mainland one sunny afternoon waiting for family or friends of the the deceased to arrive ...

None came ... there was only myself and the two employees of the funeral home standing waiting ... Finally at the appointed hour the city employees who tended the graves came over and said, "This ain't right. No one should go out alone ..."

Removing their ball caps, they stood along with us - five in all, and we bid the gentleman good bye ... five strangers who didn't know him ... but who in that moment were there for him.

I've never forgotten that moment ... or the men from the city crew who overcame their brusk jaded nature and for a moment stood respectfully as another human being was laid to rest ... their words have stuck with me - "This ain't right ..."

They spoke a truth that day ... but more than that, they lived a truth ... NO ONE should die unmourned and un-noticed ...