The weather as I walked yesterday was, to say the least very windy. It is supposed to be even worse today and some parts of Scotland are to be even worse and may well have been overnight.
The weather forecasters really must live in a kind of dream world where they advise people to only travel if they have to. Some people have to go out and face the weather no matter how bad it is by the very nature of their work.
I was thinking of this as the sleet hit my face and the trees groaned above and around me. I thought of all the many days I had stood in graveyards in the freezing cold conducting a funeral. I often left feeling I should not bother because I was so cold I might be the next one to be in a grave.
Now I do not want you, especially at the time of years to feel gloomy with me speaking of funerals when Christmas is fast approaching and all we want to do is laugh.
But let me say that even in the most terrible of situations if you do not laugh you are left to cry. I had some funerals I conducted where knowing the person and caring about them and wishing to give my best to their families and loved ones I still had to laugh.
I had one friend who had insisted that when he died I was to conduct his funeral. I jokingly said I hope you turn up on time. My good friend Jim was never ever on time for anything. Sure enough on the day of his funeral, we were all standing at the graveside in a biting wind waiting and waiting. The hearse had got caught up in an accident and Jim arrived late even for his own funeral.
Another time John a lovely person who had put his whole life and limb into supporting the church and its members had a fitting end. He was always a loyal supporter of children's concerts and no matter how bad the act he always loudly shouted encore, encore, during the clapping.
On the day of his funeral, the snow was lying thick and heavy. When they tried to lower the coffin it would not fit. The gravediggers jumped in and widened the grave. Still, it would not fit. Another attempt and this time all went well. As we left the graveyard people were heard to say, "Ah well John got two encores."
Lastly, as a coffin was being carried from the church at the end of another funeral it bumped against the corner of the wall. A groan was heard from the coffin. On inspection, the poor lady was found to be still alive and taken to the hospital. She lived a further six years.
At her funeral, as she was being carried from the church the husband called out, "Watch the wall at the corner."
If life ever gets so bad that you cannot laugh, you are left with nothing but bad feelings and tears.
Have a good day and a laugh. I will try to be even more cheerful tomorrow no matter the weather.
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