Go Out With Joy!

Contrary to the forecast, the sun was shining as the hearse arrived. The flowers exceeded my expectation as they were brought into the house and laid onto the kitchen worktop.

The church looked quite full as The Man and I led the family up the isle to our seats. I felt quite relaxed. I could hear the volume of voices behind making the singing good. The minister spoke eloquently about the woman the congregation loved and respected. I never expected him to joke about her bringing the Sunday Telegraph with her to church incase his services were boring! I made sure, later, that he knew she had to buy them on the way there as they would have sold out as she left church.

As soon as I had started planning the funeral I knew I wanted to leave the church to the lively music based on the words of Isaiah 55 v12

You shall go out with joy,
And be led forth with peace,
And the mountains and the hills 
Shall break forth before you.
There’ll be shouts of joy
And the trees of the field shall clap,
Shall clap their hands,
And you’ll go out with joy!

And so, it was playing as we followed the coffin out into the sunshine. Those who recognised the tune would have known that was so right, others may have thought it sounded a bit lively for a funeral.

And then, to the Boot & Shoe. There was no attempt to shoehorn us into the side-bar, we took over the main bar and dining room! It was there that people got a chance to tell me what a wonderful service it had been!

And now, no tears from me today, I shed them while she was still living! They will come again, I know that, but not today!