tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062997155362852711.post3472669157580130804..comments2013-10-09T19:38:23.725-05:00Comments on tenblues: I walked a mile with Sorrow.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062997155362852711.post-35362481240671681462013-10-09T19:38:23.725-05:002013-10-09T19:38:23.725-05:00So beautifully said and a really important message...So beautifully said and a really important message Mel. Thanks for sharing this and thanks to you and your family for all that you do. xo<br /><br />ElizabethElizabeth @ The Little Black Doorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06588741497473825934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062997155362852711.post-88750165542481668242013-10-09T11:43:50.609-05:002013-10-09T11:43:50.609-05:00Mel,
As you know, my dad and grandpa were funeral...Mel,<br /><br />As you know, my dad and grandpa were funeral directors. So I can relate on so many levels.<br /><br /><br />I have three friends from high school (your husband included), who have chosen this career path. I have to admit I was initially surprised that they would choose this path, but really, I am so proud of them. It is a very mature decision and occupation to choose. <br /><br /><br />Being a funeral director/mortician is a unique profession that always piques curiosity. I have always countered the questions with, “It takes a very special person to be a funeral director.” My dad rarely, hardly ever spoke of the graphic details. If I had a question, he would answer it, but it was never something he would willingly divulge. But come to think of it, hardly ever spoke of the emotional details either. It was a hard job. I know it weighed heavily on him, especially when working in a small community where you are sure to know those who you encounter. There are times when I could feel him hug me tighter. There are times when I could sense his emotions, where he needed an escape. And that escape was always his family (and his golf, of course!). <br /><br /><br />To this day, I have nothing but extreme pride for the work my father did. To be sensitive yet focused, comforting yet professional - it is a balance. To this day, he is still approached by little old ladies whose husbands he has helped laid to rest. They hug him and thank him. He was a part of one of the most, if not the most, delicate parts of their lives, in helping to navigate through the loss of their most loved. I hope that is how he is remembered.<br /><br /><br />Children of funeral directors are kindred spirits. I experienced the “humiliation” at a grade school / middle school level lof having a dad in this unique profession. Especially on the handful of occasions where I was dropped off at school in a hearse. The mortification! And there are times when family members are required to pitch in - answering phones, making deliveries, etc. Those things can only be appreciated and understood by those who have lived the life. My siblings and I survived. Your kids will too. :) But I love that your son can sum up his father’s work so simply and beautifully.<br /><br /><br />I think of your family often and I thank you for sharing this. It was so beautifully written. <br /><br /><br />Take care,<br /><br />Carrie<br />Carrie Padden Gibsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07615064338884468612noreply@blogger.com