saying goodbye

My paternal grandmother pasted away this month.  While she had lived a long and full life and was very ready to go home to heaven, it was sad to say goodbye.  Andy took some film shots at the funeral. While a funeral seems an awkward place for a camera, I am so grateful to have these photos of my family.  It was a day that was filled with grief, but a day that was also filled with love for each other.   










At the rosary, my father read a poem he had written after the death of his father.  It is beautiful and asked if I could share it here.  I am so so proud to be his daughter.




It was only a picture
In a dark little hallway
Silently waiting to please
Anyone who would bother
To reflect on a Mother
With child upon her knees

He was a lonely old man
With time on his hands
Who decided to stop and stare
At the glass on the wall
In a small little hall
The woman had soft brown hair

So I went to his side
To be his guide
Thru this pictures door
It was more than a story
Of mother and son
And I told the story before

But he held up his hand
That lonely old man
He now decided to speak
His eyes were so strong
How could they belong
To a voice so tired and weak

And he said:

“Her eyes are of a woman
Loved by that little boy
Strength she gives his heart
To hers he gives much joy
Their hearts will beat together
Never apart, but one
Beyond all time
They’re never alone
Forever mother and son”

She’ll always be
Because of him
The soul they have’s the same
She’ll give him all
And all he’ll take
She even picked his name
More than a name will travel
More than a name will last
As the years go by, he’ll leave her side
And continue to create his past”

Then he stopped
That tired old man
He coughed and nodded my way
He heaved a great sigh
With tears in his eyes
I knew he had more to say

And he said:

“Seconds chase the seconds
Never stopping for relief
Hours turn to lifetimes
And life on earth is brief
Someday she’ll go, just like us all
It’s written from the start
But you must know, she’ll always be
Alive within his heart
Trees will grow and acorns fall
And trees will grow again
What we see here, in this dark little hall
Is love that has no end
She’ll go to her Father in heaven
But she’ll leave her spirit here
Inside that boy she’ll live on and on
Then he’ll pass her on from there
Her kisses will continue
Her hugs will do the same
For that light haired boy will have a son
And even pick his name”

We looked at the picture
For a moment or two
That lonely old man and I
He held out his hand
His boney cold hand
I shook his hand goodbye

Sometimes at night
I lie awake
And think about that day
In a dark little hall
With a tired old man
And what he had to say


“Their hearts
Will beat together
Never apart, but one
Beyond all time
They’re never alone
Forever mother and son”

~written by Richard Webber Jr.