Hey all... We got home safely this evening. It was good we went to our friend's funeral, and saw how well supported his widow and family are, by their extended family and synagogue. We went to the service at their very welcoming congregation, then to the burial. It was my first ever Jewish burial...impressive! All people who are able were asked to shovel a little dirt onto the lowered casket...as a final act of kindness. One first lifts some dirt on the BACK of the shovel to express that our world has been turned upside down by this death. Then a regular shovel full. Several of the younger guys did more. It felt very late-1800s, in a way. Yet was done with respect and gentleness. Then we were invited to the house for the first closest-knit family and friends time of sitting shiva. Daughter's dearest friend and she go back to college, and we've known her parents that long too. It included a time of sharing a little bit of where we've come since Shiloh's death...so to mention that we have found that somehow the psyche figures out how to deal with it. Humans are amazing creatures.
Hey all... We got home safely this evening. It was good we went to our friend's funeral, and saw how well supported his widow and family are, by their extended family and synagogue. We went to the service at their very welcoming congregation, then to the burial. It was my first ever Jewish burial...impressive! All people who are able were asked to shovel a little dirt onto the lowered casket...as a final act of kindness. One first lifts some dirt on the BACK of the shovel to express that our world has been turned upside down by this death. Then a regular shovel full. Several of the younger guys did more. It felt very late-1800s, in a way. Yet was done with respect and gentleness. Then we were invited to the house for the first closest-knit family and friends time of sitting shiva. Daughter's dearest friend and she go back to college, and we've known her parents that long too. It included a time of sharing a little bit of where we've come since Shiloh's death...so to mention that we have found that somehow the psyche figures out how to deal with it. Humans are amazing creatures.
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