After Ben died, I was contacted by many of his friends who told me how much Ben meant to them. They told me stories of how he had helped them, what a good friend he was and how much they would miss him.
Ben and his best friend talked every day. So much of what they shared I didn’t know about and it was heartwarming to hear how highly thought of and respected he was. It melted my heart when his friend told me how much Ben thought of me, how proud he was of me and considered me amazing. Ben never told me that.
Today, I am taking the funeral of a man I knew. His family have shared stories of him with me and expressed how much this man meant to them, how they felt about him and what they will miss. One of his friends said that this should all be said in life, not in death and I wholeheartedly agree with this.
One of my favourite songs is “Everything I Own” by Bread. One of the verses is:
Is there someone you know
You’re loving them so
But taking them all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And they don’t hear the words you long to say
Life is too short. If there is that someone in your life, don’t take it for granted that there will be time to make amends, say those special words or make incredible memories.
Living Funerals are becoming more popular in the UK for people who have a terminal diagnosis. Many consider this to be morbid, I consider this to be the most important gathering you could have, bringing those you love together to say a final farewell and allow the stories to be told and shared.
So, don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.