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diff --git a/src/md/45_Two_Funerals_and_a_Wedding.md b/src/md/45_Two_Funerals_and_a_Wedding.md deleted file mode 100644 index 90f5a3f..0000000 --- a/src/md/45_Two_Funerals_and_a_Wedding.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,63 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Two Funerals and a Wedding ---- - -The first two funerals I attended in my life were years and miles apart. -They were for my two grandfathers, but they were as different as night -and day. I remember them mainly for the incredible contrast between them -and the realization that came from the experience. I classify the lesson -as one of the most important of my life's learnings. - -My mother's father, Eldon Forman, died when I was only eight years old -in 1961. I still remember the phone call my mother received one evening -while we lived in Hermiston, Oregon. It was from my Grandma Forman. When -my mother heard the news of Grandpa Forman's heart attack, my mother -yelled, "Oh Mother!!" loud enough to scare the daylights out of all the -children in the house. It was my first brush with death. I was too young -to comprehend the gravity of the moment. - -Our family drove to Portland a few days later to attend the funeral. My -brother Tom and I were the only ones of all my siblings that attended -the funeral with Mom and Dad. I remember looking at his still body in -the casket and Grandma Forman saying, "He's just sleeping, Dan." After -this, during the eulogies and other remarks, my brother and I were -blubbering inconsolably. The enormity of death finally sunk in. I -remember the feeling of loss and the hopelessness of ever seeing him -again. I was too young to understand the moment from an eternal -perspective. It was just lonely and so sad for an eight-year-old to have -to comprehend. - -Jump forward to 1985. My grandpa Williams was gravely ill because he had -difficulties swallowing any food. He went to the hospital for surgery to -correct the problem. During the surgery, it became apparent that his -body was too weak to handle the anesthesia for the operation. His vital -signs were fading fast, so the doctors had to abort the operation before -they could correct the problem. He was told to go home and say his -good-byes to his family. - -I remember the last visit with him at his home in Provo, Utah. He said, -"I'm going back home to live with my Heavenly Father." He was very weak -and frail, but totally at peace with his approaching last day in -mortality. - -A week or so later, the family gathered for his funeral. I was amazed at -the mood in the Mormon chapel. There was no sadness or somber exchanges -of "sorry for your loss" phrases, like you see on the TV depictions of -funerals. Family members who had not seen each other for many months -greeted each other with delightful happiness. During the service, many -stories about Grandpa Williams were told that made everyone laugh and -chuckle. It was a genuine celebration of a life well lived. We all knew -we would see Grandpa again before long and that he had gone to a place -where he would continue his mission of doing good things for others. - -Before the funeral, I still carried the dark impression of my first -funeral in my mind. I was not looking forward to the expected gloom of -the occasion. My attitude was totally transformed by the joy and -rejoicing that I found there instead. Upon reflection, I realized the -huge gift of understanding the big picture. I was 32 and had heard all -the Sunday School and seminary lessons. I even taught these things to -others in Brazil, but this experience brought it all deep into my heart. -The impact on my life and the gratitude I still feel is hard to put into -words. - -By the way, I was just kidding about the wedding. |