Good Grief!

Apparently a few of the churches that the family attends have designated November as a month of remembrance for all that have lost loved ones in the last year. I missed the service at St. Matthias last week, but knowing it was the least I could do to honor dad, attended one at Lourdes last night with mom and Sam. Well, kind of...

It started out with a liturgical dancer. (Liturgical dance is a form of “liquid prayer”, I learned.) She danced her way up the aisle with lit incense. I thought – oh, this might be really nice. A small choir with some really awesome voices sang before the program began. It was beautiful. So glad I came – relaxing, calm, comforting. That is, until they started singing some song about “I will always be with you…blah, blah, blah…” and that was it for me. After drenching some Kleenex, I decided there was no way I was going to take a chance on sniveling through an entire hour in front of other people. I stepped out.

So while the singing continued, candles were lit and names of loved ones were being read, I wandered the halls like some freak-show dabbing tears and reading all the literature they had posted on the walls. ("Vote NO! for the Death Penalty", "Does Your Child Have AHDH?" "Where to Buy Non-Sweatshop Clothing" "Did the Easter Bunny Really Get Hit by a Beer Truck?" etc.) Then I see a rack of pamphlets on “Grief”. Grief??? I don’t need no stinkin’ Grief!!!

When it was almost over, one of the ladies that was sitting in the back of church came out to get ready for the coffee and cookies reception that would follow. She sees me and asks me if I'm okay. Oh..uh, yes - I'm fine, I'm fine, I snivel. (My eyes are always almost swollen shut and I usually only wear make-up on half my face!) Then she wants to hug me. Oh NO. I push back. She was a rather large, buxom woman and won. Now I'm being crushed by the church lady! Come in and have a cup of coffee. Oh, NO. Really, I'm fine. (LEAVE ME ALONE)

So people start coming out and mom and Sam see me and tell me they have my coat, which I left behind during my getaway. I smiled brightly and said, "WELL! Wasn't THAT fun!" They both laugh. People are filing out behind them and I say - NOW I remember why I don't go to church. It's the music!" I bet there will be a lot of prayers at Lourdes for MY soul after that comment.