on the interruption of death

I went to a funeral this past weekend.  It was my first funeral in full Orthodox tradition.  It was quiet, beautiful and sad.  It stopped me in my tracks and any plans I had for the remainder of the day shifted so that I could process what I had just experienced.  It was not convenient and the day was disrupted.  Theresia's life was disrupted.  All lives of all the people she ioved and who loved her have been brutally disrupted by her death.

The church was packed to capacity.  The choir sang.  We sang psalms and prayers to welcome her to a stage of rest.  We gave her a final kiss. We processed to the cemetery and we sang and prayed some more.   And then we lowered her body into the ground and I added my fistful of dirt to the growing pile inside the grave and it was done.  Now.  Another story begins.  Now life for Kai, her husband who remains here on earth without her has to unfold in a new way.  Theresia's life has moved to another realm.  I cannot even imagine what that looks like.  She will not suffer anymore.  The cancer that ravaged her body and mind is gone.   She is free of that burden.  She was an amazing human being and I will miss her.