My Third Eye Opened

Last weekend I went with some of my family to Minnesota for my dad's uncle's funeral. It was surprisingly peaceful, at least for me. For one thing, it was a comfort to attend a funeral of an 89-year-old. It was sad, but his death wasn't unexpected, and it made so much more sense in the cycle of life than the last funeral I went to. Some of the grief from my friend Steph's funeral in June bubbled to the surface during this funeral too. In a strange way, it was healing to grieve over a more sensible death.

There was also the spirit of family nearby. I heard some old stories about my dad growing up, and his cousins growing up too. Some of the stories I had heard before, but some were new. It was a comfort to me that my dad is still close with his cousins, and it was nice to be "the kid" of the group.

Finally, I liked hearing stories of my great uncle and how he coped with the dis-ease and loneliness that can come in life. He filled his days with community and volunteer activities and cooking food like casseroles and rosettes for the ladies at the nursing home or the perpetual bachelor next door. He was no saint, and in fact, would be one of the first people to tell someone to "F*ck Off," if necessary. But I think that he kept from getting bored and kept life interesting by getting involved with other people around him. I feel that is a lesson I can take home right now in a time where I often feel lonely.