Saturday, April 18, 2015

The Celebration of Life

Today was the funeral of my dear man. 
  I did not throw up or faint or cry. 

The day was all about how wonderful my love was..
Why did I fret...the service was perfect!
350 or so people came to celebrate his life..with Irish football players in uniform and Irish dancers in uniform.
My daughter played a favorite  piece of her father's on the Irish tin whistle.
The grandchildren behaved..
 The best pix I could get of a favorite bereavement poem by John O'Donohue...
 taken from the church handout.
So many friends and relatives came with love..my quilting friends, my pool friends, my peeps, football friends, dance friends, neighbors, work friends and former clients, teachers..brought food, flowers and hugs. They flew in and drove in and walked in..

I did see in the obituary that they put he was 70...that was awful..until I realized that my healthy athlete
was 70...OMG  how did that happen????

Mr. O'Quilts is in peace now..no more horrid ALS...22 months of slow decline..he is free..TBTG
He is lucky...The weakness in his chest muscles did not support the lungs and off he went..missing some of the more terrible times.

Me...sitting here tonight debriefing with Rin Tin Tin, my security system, my vino tinto and my chocolate!
Now...5 days a widow, I decided to work on something new....

Thank you for coming, for the flowers, for the food, for the hugs...

Thank you all for being our friends!

8 comments:

smazoochie said...

I would imagine the day, these days have all been a blur. I hope you are getting some sleep. I wish could give you some ease.

Michele Bilyeu said...

It sounds like a beautiful service that honored him and sent him off with such love. But the empty and the sad are left behind to deal with and you will have to give it all a very long time for the deep challenges of healing.

And there's nothing but keeping really busy that will help. And you did just what he wound have told you to do...you went and you sewed. God Bless. You did good and I'm just so darn sorry.

Rachaeldaisy said...

I've been thinking of you and sending my love. It would be a comfort that the day went well and was full of love and rememberance.

mamifleur said...

I think many of you in this difficult time ;
Receive all my friendship ;
Mamifleur

Karen at Birdsong Cabin said...

Sounds like it was a beautiful service. Sorry I could not attend but I sure was thinking of you!! Please call if you need anything and I hope to see you soon. Love ya, Karen E

Alcea Rosea 31 said...

I did not know that poem, thank you for sharing it with us. The service seems to have been a fitting tribute to your man.
Please take care of your health, you will be very vulnerable now.
Hugs

Mary Jerz said...

Diane, it was beautiful and moving. Rest in peace, dear Fintan.

Sharon said...

I'm so sorry to hear of your husband's passing. The words seem inadequate to me for what a massive thing to deal with. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Hugs.
Sharon