funeral virgins

I met a 29 year old chic who said she had never been to a funeral before??

Is it just me or is that odd as shit?? Me, being the conclusion jumping prick that I am, assumed that she has never learned how to deal with grief in her life. She's known people who have passed away, but she has just chosen not to go in fear of what it would be like... Now, I think it's sort of a mental obstacle that it is going to be this huge emotional thing, which funerals usually are, but still.

Different people deal with loss differently and you never know how you yourself are really going to act until you are in the moment. Its never the same, but I think what IS the same is no matter who the person is, if they were really close, you always need to hit that point where you have to get it all out. I mean you can hold it in and play it cool for the people, but eventually, it all comes out and there is nothing you can do about it.

When my grandfather passed, I was cool for all of the days leading up to the funeral, throughout the funeral too.. I almost started to feel guilty because I hadn't really got my cry on yet... During the drive to the cemetery, it was the same thing... all the way through the ceremony at the gravesite I was good. As soon as it was over and they started lowering his casket into the ground.... I lost it.

Then there is my Uncle, who at my Aunt's wake, snuck away for a bit because the riverboat casino was within walking distance of the funeral hall. Everyone was wondering where is my uncle??!!! About an hour later, he just rolls up smelling like an ashtray like nothing ever happened. My cousin came in too and just said he needed some fresh air.. saw the casino and decided to pop in and play the slots for a few... but hey, this is how he dealt with grief...

I told her she should just pick one out of the paper and go so she can pop her funeral cherry on someone that she isn't close too, so she can at least do a little hands-on research on what its like you know? I just told her, no matter what, funerals suck and there is no way around it, but in the end, when you can look back at those moments and feel like life shouldn't even go on, you know you made it through those rough times and are okay which makes it easier to go to the next funeral.

My dad cut the preacher off at his father's funeral. As soon as the preacher started going into his message on redemption and how the rest of us need to get saved, he looked at the preacher, was nodding his head and started tapping his watch telling my man to "Wrap it up B!" That's kinda gangsta, but I feel him, he just wanted to get it over with.

~C