I went to a funeral recently and it really started me thinking about things. The funeral was for the mother of one of my wife’s coworkers. She died from cancer, within a matter of weeks after receiving the diagnosis. It was quite unexpected and sudden and really caught the family by surprise.
The funeral was lovely and there were a lot of people there. I found it very moving, and I’m not ashamed to say that I cried at several points, even though I had never met the woman. It was clear that she had made a huge impact on a lot of people due to her personality, her service to the neighbourhood she lived in, and her generosity and love of everyone around her.
I couldn’t help but reflect on the funeral of my own father back in 2006. His death was pretty sudden, too. I was amazed by how many people came to his reception and to his funeral. I knew he was a good man, but I didn’t know how many people he had affected.
Just last week, a friend of mine, Vanessa, died suddenly at the age of 51. I hadn't seen her in many years but she was a shining light, a community activist and just an all around nice person.
I think the common thread between the two funeral services, and the three people above, was service. Service to the community, service to the ones you love, and service to the world in general. These people gave of themselves to others, and people noticed and appreciated them.
While reflecting on that, I had to think about the service that I give to others. I invite you to do the same. What have you done for others recently? I like to think I give a lot to my family, trying to be a good father and a good husband, but I’m really talking about a wider service than that.
What will your legacy be? Are you happy with that? I'm not sure I am... yet. There's work to be done.
Just something on my mind. Thanks for indulging me. I'll get back to trains soon.
