While attending the wake of my FIL last week, I had the chance to observe how members of the family, as well as those who came to pay their respects, dealt with Papa's passing and realized that these last rites are more about the living than the dead.
Yes, wakes are organized to honor the person who passed on but I now see it more as an opportunity for family and friends to have a venue to grieve, to reminisce, to comfort each other for their loss. For some, it's a way of trying to make up for any perceived shortcomings they may have had towards the deceased in order to help ease the burden of their guilt.
Having witnessed all that has made me resolve to do my best to show the people I care about how much I love them and value them while they're still alive. We may fight, disagree and hurt each other sometimes but I want them to know, in no uncertain terms, that they are loved and respected.
I need to make every day count.
Mood Music: An Original Man by The Yardbirds