Live well

It's a rainy cold afternoon. The kids are downstairs watching a movie. The mounds of laundry are in piles around me. The refrigerator is bare except for three uneaten casseroles people have dropped by. George is out driving somewhere. We got home just a few hours ago. I'm tired and am going to give myself a day before I start back to "normal" life.

Yesterday evening we had the visitation at the funeral home. It was a small gathering of mostly family and close friends. The casket was closed. No one needed to see him in the state that he died. I went through some of Tony's old family albums and picked some really neat photos of Tony, Eva and George. I scanned them and had them enlarged. I also had alot of recent pictures of Tony and the kids. People really enjoyed seeing the pictures of Tony in all the different facets of his life. The kids came and I spent most of the night trying to keep them quiet. Funeral homes and small children don't mix.

Today was the funeral. It was at an Eastern Orthodox church. I had never been and it was interesting. All the prayers and readings were done in singing. And there was alot of incense. I didn't feel that it was very personal at all. But it was done in the church were Tony attended and it was what he wanted.

The procession to the burial was the highlight for Samuel. We were escorted by two policemen on motorcycles. We got to go through red lights and traffic stopped for us. Pretty cool to a six year old! The burial was quick. It was pouring and very cold so we didn't stay long. Everyone then went to a Mediterranean place for lunch. The food was good and people seem to relax and enjoy themselves.

We are all glad that this part is over. As much as we will miss Tony, we know that his suffering is over. Tony did not want to die. He wanted to be around for his grandkids. But it was his time to go. He fought death. But he also fought life. I have realized that you die the way you live. When you live in fear, you die in fear. If you live with alot of regrets, you die with them too. We feel that Tony finally let go at the end and was able to rest. George's last words to him were, " I love you. You can rest now."

Live well so you can rest well.