My mother was at a wake when it happened.
A dear friend's mother had died. The woman was elderly, and it was not unexpected, though still very sad.
My mom's friend was standing there, looking into the casket at her mother's body, when she said the words you so often hear. "Doesn't she look wonderful?"
The friend burst out laughing when my mother replied with, "No, she looks dead!"
As the friend laughed and gasped and tried to catch her breath, my mother put her hands over her mouth, looking aghast that she had said it out loud. As my mom began to try to stammer out an apology, her friend was laughing so hard by this time she was wiping tears from her eyes. "Thank you!" she said. "Don't apologize. I needed a laugh, and you are absolutely right!"
That is why my mother has left instructions that we are to put a sign over her that says, "By order of the deceased, you are not to stand around saying, 'Doesn't she look wonderful!' She wants you to know that she does not look wonderful, she looks dead!"
Today is:
Beer & Can Day
Bison-Ten-Yell Day
Braemar Royal Highland Gathering, Scotland
Coughing and Spluttering Convention -- Fairy Calendar
Feast of Bishamon-Ten, Japan
Feast of Ali, Nussairis, Asia Minor
Festival of P'ing An Fu Chu Wang, the Star King, China
Good Society Day
Historical Regatta, Italy
National Blueberry Popsicle Day
National Frisbee Disc Festival
Old Timer's Day
St. Agricola of Avignon's Day (patron of rain -- for or against,
whichever you need! -- against bad luck)
St. Sulien's Day
VJ Day -- Surrender Ceremony took place on this date aboard the USS
Missouri
Birthdays Today:
Lennox Lewis, 1965
Keany Reeves, 1964
Jimmy Connors, 1952
Mark Harmon, 1951
Christa McAuliffe, 1948
Terry Bradshaw, 1948
Cleveland Amory, 1917
Lili'uokalani, 1838
Today in History:
Cicero's first Philippic (oratorical attack) on Marc Antony, BC44
Octavian's troops win the Battle of Actium which ends the Final war of the Roman Republic, BC31
Great Fire of London ends with 8 dead and 13,000 houses destroyed, 1666
US Treasury Dept. is established by Congress, 1789
Theodore Roosevelt adivses the US to "Speak softly, and carry a big stick." 1901
What Jessie Did
3 hours ago
It seems there isn't much you can say at a funeral!
ReplyDeleteI notice it is blueberry popsicle day. That is my husband's absolute favorite. He remembers growing up in MI and getting a "blue sky" from the ice cream man!
Well, I wouldn't consider that it is offensive to say this. My mom just popped out with it, in the stress of the moment, and then realized she didn't want people standing around her saying it at her funeral.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think it is a funny comeback, to relieve stress, so to honor her wish, I will make the sign to put over her when the time comes.
Sometimes, at a funeral, you just have to find something to smile about, or scream. I would rather try to find some type of joy, or even just a cute child, to smile at. Helps the grieving, at least for me.