Cry Baby Cry

I am going to be very honest here.... I cry at funerals and memorial services.  It does not matter if I know the person (I have gone to services to support the living relatives) or if I was close to the deceased person...I cry!  Especially when the songs are sung.  There's something about the old hymns that just get the tears-a-jerking!




 Therefore, to further my honesty, I hate funerals and memorial services.  Because I cry!  I rarely cry and when I do, I don't look pretty.  Granted I don't look pretty when I don't cry, but when I do cry, what a mess.  When I cry at services, I feel like a hypocrite.  I say that because I think that when people notice me crying, they must think, "Oh, she was so close to that person, look how upset she is." As I said before, I have gone to funerals of people that I don't even know or have even met and I cry.  Why should I be crying?  

Today was the funeral of my cousin's father.  In my adult years, I have not seen him very much, mainly because I have lived away from the area.  But last fall, my mom and I stopped in at his apartment in an assisted living building and had a brief visit.    I remember him from my childhood as a quiet man, hard-worker and the fact that after lunch/dinner, he always took an hour nap on the bed.  It's rather funny, how certain memories stick with a person.  I can still visualize seeing his feet on the bed through the open door from the kitchen while he slept.  Now, he is at rest forever.  

When I die, I don't want a funeral or memorial service.  Maybe my decision will spare someone else the embarrassment of crying in front of others.  As much as I love the old hymns, I have always wanted to put some of my photos on CD with a hymn playing.  And then if someone wants to cry about my passing, pop in a CD and watch my photo show and cry if they want in private.  I guess I had better get going on that CD, as you never know when your time is up.  Cry, baby, cry!