Sunflower Blog

Celebration of Life

My dear cousin, Johnny Paul, passed away in Lubbock Texas on July 29th, 2005. He lived a Christian life of love, and died by his wife's side, in their sleep.

I was fearful of the overwhelming sadness I expected to rule the room at the family service in a little town in Texas called Van Alstyne on Sunday evening. The family was all there, despite the fact that the obituary didn't hit the paper till today. There must have been at least sixty people there.

I have never experience such a celebration of life. A 94 year-old relative came up to my 83 year-old mom and said, "I remember when I used to bounce her on my knee." There were people I'd been the little kid around, and people who were big kids now, that I'd never met. The room was filled with laughter, much more than tears. Tales were told, and memories were relived on the spot. It was beautiful.

I only hope when the next in our family passes, that the atmosphere will be full of as much love as I experienced yesterday. God bless the living and the dearly departed.