Grandma P's Ramblings Through Life

Today has been one of those days that stand out amongst the routine days; a day which combines musing on mortality and the sadness of losing a family member with the joy of meeting up with family and enjoying their company.
Today was the funeral of my Aunty Vera, my mother's elder sister.
The picture above shows her aged 20 - just a little younger than she was when she first met me on the night of my birth.
It is poignant to realise that there is nobody now who could tell me anything about that night.
It has been poignant, too, to think of other members of the family who have already died.
I would have been thinking of them today with or without a family funeral to focus my mind.
During this week there are so many anniversaries - three of them today.
On this day in 1944 my Mum and Dad were married.
Some of the people with us today would have been there on that occasion - though most of the older generation have now gone.
Mum died over 40 years ago.
It would have been her birthday 4 days ago - the day that actually is our Ashley's birthday.
Three years after their wedding, Mum gave birth to their second child on 4th March, my younger brother, Robin.
Robin was another who died young.
And then our Jamie was born on the same date - another March 4th joyful event.
And 2 days after this day we hit a very poignant anniversary - the date on which Mum died.
So, as you see a week for some reflection for me.

Today was very good for me. I was able to meet up with a few people who had been important to my mother and get to know their families too.
Circumstances and events led to a certain splitting up of her family, but today I felt a strong bond of unity amongst the people there. I think every single one of us there - apart from a few spouses and partners were connected through my great grandparents and most of us through the same grandparents.

Roger and I did our best to talk to and photograph everybody who we were related to. Only later did we realise we missed out 2 people - what a shame.
The young ones were fascinated by what we could tell them of the older generations and the few folks older than us were able to add extra details for us.

There was a lot of talking of course and much laughter too. My Aunty Vera would have been proud of how we all were happy to be together as a family.
The funeral service may be sombre, but it is very normal for the folks who gather together afterwards to feel that they are enjoying themselves.

Labels: family