a matter of honor

Evidently it was meant for me to be at the turnoff from FH to cemetery right as the procession passed by so all I did was turn on the flashers and bring up the rear. Like all families theirs is filled with skeletons and such but then who among us doesn't have that? The characters in my lineage would make a really good book if I ever get around to it. Today there were three funerals of friends of friends of acquaintances and family. Miss Carolyn, bless her heart, picked Mama up for Miss Teresa's service at the FUMC. My friend Jack said goodbye to his mother. As I drove the winding path toward Gerald's grave, I couldn't believe what I saw when the line stopped. There was Jacob's little spot, paid for by his fraternity brothers after he died of meningitis. There is now a law in the state of Tennessee requiring meningitis vaccination for every college student. It should have happened many years ago. I've watched the progression of that disease, especially in young children, and it's hard to survive once it sets in. Jacob's law..Google it.

I was impressed with the way things went with law enforcement officials at every corner paying tribute to the father of one of their own. As always in the South, traffic came to a complete halt until at least the stragglers got by. Our lives are simple and filled with ritual that has been passed on through the generations. Honor, loyalty, commitment. And the greatest of these is love. Gerald's son is married to one of my friends and his sister Donna was in my class so I got to score a three on that visit. The pallbearers in their stiff suits took shelter beside their friend under the tent and dropped their rosebuds on his casket one by one. As I watched from the back, I saw a life being honored and cherished by a lot of people. That's all I've ever wanted. I've decided now that my ashes need to go up in a plane and fertilize Pecan Lane.

I reckon Big E knew I was about to lose it because I rested well and today wasn't PURE hell. My hip is doing this funny slip thing now and then which is beginning to be, shall we say, a bother. I'll be making tracks on a mission somewhere and all of a sudden *pop* and I have to regroups. Bodies are made to wear out, I guess. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. My oldest friend Yaya stopped by the sawmill to give me an impromptu hug today after reading my blog for the first time in forever. She could tell I was at the end of my proverbial rope. Remember that scene in Nurse Jackie when she screams "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, JESUS!" And there came Amy Claire all smiles and hugs. She's definitely one of my top ten.

^J^