tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post643431535922150349..comments2024-03-27T06:22:50.868+01:00Comments on From My Mental Library: Birthdays, Funerals and moreLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-68930392161007593762016-03-18T10:39:17.503+01:002016-03-18T10:39:17.503+01:00You are of course right about the people making th...You are of course right about the people making the community. It is just not my community, and apart from my friend and her brother, I knew maybe two other people at the funeral.<br />It wasn't emotionally strenuous for me as I didn't know my friend's father well enough to be really grieving for him. On the contrary, I felt more relief than anything - for him, who had lost his will to live after his wife's death, to be now over and done with it all.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-27042897083852279792016-03-17T19:34:36.472+01:002016-03-17T19:34:36.472+01:00I am not awfully keen on that church either, altho...I am not awfully keen on that church either, although I do believe that the people are what make any kind of community and so I expect to those who attend it regularly it is a place of comfort and acceptance. It sounds as if it was quite an emotionally strenuous day. Jenny Woolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16881781466502273314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-19453696844750855122016-03-11T08:07:06.898+01:002016-03-11T08:07:06.898+01:00That's true, Graham, it was, all things consid...That's true, Graham, it was, all things considered, a Good Day for me (I very rarely have Sad/Bad Days anyway).<br />I know exactly what you mean about churches.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-83942049723243847272016-03-11T02:16:31.724+01:002016-03-11T02:16:31.724+01:00To me (quite incorrectly, of course) a church is a...To me (quite incorrectly, of course) a church is a place for meditation and contemplation and, ironically, I find that harder to do in an austere, ascetic place. Your day does sound like a full one with a quite wide spectrum of emotions. I think that you will have coped well, though, however you felt at any one time.Graham Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11196744947133121475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-45290635561450965732016-03-07T09:43:34.862+01:002016-03-07T09:43:34.862+01:00I know what you mean about Baroque churches - they...I know what you mean about Baroque churches - they really went to town then with deco, didn't they!<br />What appeals to me most on a spiritual level are Gothic churches. The architecture and symbolism of that time "speaks" to me a lot more than nearly everything that came later.<br /><br />It was a long day indeed, but I'd paced it all so that I didn't get too washed out.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-70103030736145671592016-03-07T09:41:22.750+01:002016-03-07T09:41:22.750+01:00That's precisely why I decided to post about m...That's precisely why I decided to post about my day in such detail, Nan.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-49558866985157387092016-03-07T09:41:01.537+01:002016-03-07T09:41:01.537+01:00Exactly how I feel about it, Monica (the healing/h...Exactly how I feel about it, Monica (the healing/helping bit).<br />Steve's funeral was entirely non-religious, as I know he would not have wanted a priest conduct the service. Not having music was my choice - I knew I would completely crack with that.<br />We had a second funeral service in England after the first one in Germany. That one was all arranged and done by the family, and very, very moving, with music and poems.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-24713622223036418292016-03-07T09:39:17.977+01:002016-03-07T09:39:17.977+01:00I felt rather detached on this one, but that was m...I felt rather detached on this one, but that was mainly because I didn't know my friend's father very well.<br />Other funerals I have attended over the years - grandparents, other relatives, my husband, one of my former bosses, and a close friend who only lived to be 32 - were much more difficult, but also "good" in a strange way; a step towards healing for me.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-57614617834582625362016-03-07T09:37:22.662+01:002016-03-07T09:37:22.662+01:00It means a lot to both of us. I hope she is well; ...It means a lot to both of us. I hope she is well; she hasn't been too great some weeks ago, but my sister-in-law usually keeps me posted about any news from her.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-55522317058789423032016-03-07T09:36:12.842+01:002016-03-07T09:36:12.842+01:00It doesn't have to be grand, I just like it to...It doesn't have to be grand, I just like it to feel warm and "lived in", qualities this church does not have at all for me. Maybe it is different for those who go there regularly.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-44861581088509519352016-03-07T07:13:12.542+01:002016-03-07T07:13:12.542+01:00When I lived in Germany in the early '70s a lo...When I lived in Germany in the early '70s a lot of the newer churches looked like this, or even more austere and cold. Very gray, some of them.....Not my style...<br /><br />Some of the Baroque churches can be very very decorated, but still have a nicer feeling to me. There is a beautiful church near Bamberg Der Vierzehn Heilige. The light is wonderful though it's way over the top according to our current ideas of decoration.<br />You had a lot happening that day. I would have been exhausted with all the events and emotions.Thickethouse.wordpresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17187303460677067276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-80239977597709624432016-03-07T04:20:07.056+01:002016-03-07T04:20:07.056+01:00Isn't your day a bit of a metaphor for life. A...Isn't your day a bit of a metaphor for life. All that happened in it. All the emotions you felt.Nanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15547916206007733970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-71399743683787551382016-03-06T22:44:16.586+01:002016-03-06T22:44:16.586+01:00I agree about that church, I think - it doesn'...I agree about that church, I think - it doesn't give a very welcoming first impression somehow. The funeral I attended last week was the first for me which was all non-religious (no hymns or prayers). Not that I've been to all that many altogether - and they've all differed a bit. What you write about your friends' mother's funeral reminds me of my own parents. (Which of course the recent death of dad's cousin did as well.) It's never easy but yet I find (and more the older I get) that partaking can still sort of "help" to deal with the fact. And the support of friends can be very important to the next-of-kin too on these occasions.DawnTreaderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04533307672147117843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-7929015475714895702016-03-06T22:40:30.338+01:002016-03-06T22:40:30.338+01:00The first funeral I attended was a few years ago a...The first funeral I attended was a few years ago and haven't attended since then. It was a heart-breaking, and very teary day. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-67092219546678721122016-03-06T22:30:40.601+01:002016-03-06T22:30:40.601+01:00It is good that you maintain your special bond wit...It is good that you maintain your special bond with Steve's mother. It must mean a lot to her.Yorkshire Puddinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06019673884543913089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-40540186045121661312016-03-06T21:09:44.282+01:002016-03-06T21:09:44.282+01:00You're right, life can be very confusing and m...You're right, life can be very confusing and mixed, can't it? I agree with you about the church. It does look very cold and austere. We had a similar Catholic church here, less than a block from my home. I always felt it looked more like an auditorium than a church. However, about 15 years ago, it burnt down, and the replacement is much much nicer. Still doesn't have the grandeur and atmosphere of the beautiful old European cathedrals, but still a definite improvement!Canadian Chickadeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12995693884248628958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-41738477510438897402016-03-06T09:12:53.346+01:002016-03-06T09:12:53.346+01:00It was all in one single day, Terra.
A large spac...It was all in one single day, Terra.<br /><br />A large space in a church that does a lot of community work is certainly a good thing.<br /><br />Is this your first visit to my blog? I can not remember having seen your name or avatar here before. Welcome to My Mental Library :-)Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-35884206147661596312016-03-06T09:11:33.274+01:002016-03-06T09:11:33.274+01:00It's all part of the parcel, isn't it.
Tha...It's all part of the parcel, isn't it.<br />Thanks for reading and commenting.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-23974567584209951042016-03-06T09:11:01.168+01:002016-03-06T09:11:01.168+01:00Thank you, Jennifer. My friend said that, although...Thank you, Jennifer. My friend said that, although her father had been very frail for a few years now, and ever since the death of her mother had lost his will to live, his death still came rather sudden over night and she and her brother didn't have a chance to say good-bye.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-51006349773976908142016-03-05T18:36:50.719+01:002016-03-05T18:36:50.719+01:00Your week certainly did cover a lot of important e...Your week certainly did cover a lot of important events. This post reminded me that the church I am a member of does not look like a church; it is huge and like an auditorium. We are very much about helping the community and the space is useful for that.Terra https://www.blogger.com/profile/04396481049075747940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-88265035905099986882016-03-05T18:18:25.278+01:002016-03-05T18:18:25.278+01:00In the end what we live for can be seen all round ...In the end what we live for can be seen all round us, friends, work, and family. Not to forget pain, loss, and healing. Greetings to you. Blogorattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12821621371176285384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-46508071782337246222016-03-05T17:51:51.168+01:002016-03-05T17:51:51.168+01:00How beautiful that gift is!
A Catholic funeral m...How beautiful that gift is! <br /><br />A Catholic funeral mass is a strange thing. My grandfather had one, and I had no idea what to do, although everyone was very kind (and I was only 14). <br /><br />I'm truly sorry for the loss of your friend's father.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12512800812290518552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-35765846079677179782016-03-05T17:19:16.133+01:002016-03-05T17:19:16.133+01:00Yay! I am looking forward to the quiz questions on...Yay! I am looking forward to the quiz questions on your blog, thank you :-)Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-45058622824840724492016-03-05T16:44:20.500+01:002016-03-05T16:44:20.500+01:00Whatever our beliefs we have to take some comfort ...Whatever our beliefs we have to take some comfort in that they are together again in spirit.<br />Regarding quiz questions - I have juet thought - I will post an old quiz sheet from last year, which has already been done and the prize given. I will choose one and post it early next week.The Weaver of Grasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-28668379256640148292016-03-05T16:20:46.132+01:002016-03-05T16:20:46.132+01:00I am not the only one to not like modern churches,...I am not the only one to not like modern churches, then! I just find them lacking atmosphere and warmth (not necessarily in terms of temperature).Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.com