Went to my very first one today – my maternal grandfather’s. The experience made me realise a few things:

That the person lying in the coffin will look nothing like the person you knew;

That some people are afraid to look, while others are indifferent;

That it reunites a broken family;

That people lie – to comfort others and themselves;

That the afternoon sun is cruel;

That people tend to stare when the hearse passes;

That the choice of coffin really doesn’t matter when it is covered with earth;

That grief is contagious and comes unannounced;

That even the toughest of them all crack eventually;

That although it has brought family here, death cannot keep them together;

That no matter how many friends we have – we die alone;

That I am afraid.

Gong Gong. I am sorry that your final act fell short.

Rest in peace.