Will we see the like again?

Margaret, who was buried yesterday, was born on exactly the same day as my late mother-in-law and, like her, was married to a Clerk in Holy Orders. She attended Bolton School, was married to Brian in Lahore Cathedral after sailing alone to Bombay and then on by rail just before Indian independence. Born just after WWI, she bore her boys just after WWII. 

Brian always claimed that he was appointed Headmaster of Brigg Grammar School because Margaret impressed the Chair of Governors  
at a meal the evening before his interview. The school had a boarding house and the headmaster's wife (the head had to be male and married) was required to be the unpaid (and, consequently, not interviewed) House Mother. Brian was ordained in his retirement and Margaret continued to perform her share of what she saw as their joint role with calm energy, empathy and efficiency. See extra photo of the happy couple. Brian died four years ago.

There were 16 of us at the funeral service: when you live to 99 most of your friends are dead; the Covid lockdown prevented most of the family from attending and limited attendance anyway. Her three surviving sons and their wives were there. The recorded hymn singing was of a good standard - a rare positive.

As so often on these occasions the Bible reading was from 1 Corinthians 13. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Then we went home to listen to our Home Secretary jacking up the fear factor concerning "Terrorism" (understandable, possibly, but obviously without providing any verifiable evidence) and the likely outgoing President of  the Disunited States of America ranting away like a 5 year old as usual. They are not the only culprits; we are all being encouraged down this path of manufactured fear, hate and prejudice.

We just never felt that Margaret (and Brian) succumbed to any of this hypocricy. RIP.