I know that might sound odd when one is speaking about a funeral, but I was edified and I left Waynesboro with a renewed verve to be a better husband, father, and son. I was touched by the four talks of Shirley, Flora, Wayne, and Papa, and I think they captured what was so great about our grandmother and her life. She left so many memories, and many of them were engraved on her children at such a young age.
What memories or lessons have I given my own children? Have I given them gems to treasure or stones that they must bear?
When I stayed with Grandma at Misty Meadows in her latter years, I was amazed at her ability to recall poetry. One of her favorites that she could recite with little prompting was Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life." Quoted below in full:
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! --
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, -- act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
The title of this post is part of the stanza where she would perk up and quote with such resolve, to be a hero in the strife.
That about sums it up, right?
It was a great weekend.
6 comments:
I was surprisingly uplifted by the event. I had come with more of an obligatory sense of duty, but much like Hayes, had lots of reflecting moments and experienced a reaffirmation of the plan of salvation. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit and was glad to have come.
Geoff
I was very touched by the comments at the funeral and was glad to have been there also.
Thanks, Hayes.
Thanks, Hayes.
and now I'm going to ask it. Why is Aimee in a dryer...and who's dryer is that?
Uhhh, that's YOUR dryer I believe. I think Aimee used it as a hide-and-seek spot.
Erica took this picture.
Maybe that's why Lesley's dryer is broken.
Hmm....
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