I have been to an online funeral and an concert, all live. Life on Zoom.
Wales is still not open, and half my sister in law's family still live in England, so a border funeral was arranged for a man, who had intended his body go to science, but because of the virus had to be buried instead. There are people who populate our histories and my brother's father in law is one of them. I have known Roy since my 20s I suppose, I have holidayed in his house, shared Christmas drinks and laughed at his brilllaint stories. In the last few years he has lived in a home, but despite that my brother has regularly included him in theatre outings and meals out, despite being in a wheelchair and over 90, it was lovely that he and my step dad were able to be the two oldies on family outings. But then came the virus and the worry that he was in one of the most vulnerable places ever. But it was not the virus that killed him, suddenly he was ill and then gone. He has left a hole in our lives, so it was an honour to be able to watch the family, albeit from a great height by video feed as this unexpected farewell was given.
Not all the family managed to tune in - the usual online glitch. Two days later I was again dealing with technology, this time to tune in for a live concert from Portugal. Sahaja is mostly in lockdown, its income, which mainly comes from people coming to gain enlightment, reduced, and the need for security, unnecessary when all contact is over the net, so my son is no longer needed. It is time to move on. Having railed at times against his decision to live with a guru, I now feel very emotional about the end of this time. It has been such a brave and extraordinary way to live and what comes next who knows. Om's partner though it is a brilliant singer and before they left, she hosted their Sunday concert, with songs that she had written herself and more familiar bhajans. I have been privileged to enter their world their occasionally, I wonder when or if we will be back.
Wales is still not open, and half my sister in law's family still live in England, so a border funeral was arranged for a man, who had intended his body go to science, but because of the virus had to be buried instead. There are people who populate our histories and my brother's father in law is one of them. I have known Roy since my 20s I suppose, I have holidayed in his house, shared Christmas drinks and laughed at his brilllaint stories. In the last few years he has lived in a home, but despite that my brother has regularly included him in theatre outings and meals out, despite being in a wheelchair and over 90, it was lovely that he and my step dad were able to be the two oldies on family outings. But then came the virus and the worry that he was in one of the most vulnerable places ever. But it was not the virus that killed him, suddenly he was ill and then gone. He has left a hole in our lives, so it was an honour to be able to watch the family, albeit from a great height by video feed as this unexpected farewell was given.
Not all the family managed to tune in - the usual online glitch. Two days later I was again dealing with technology, this time to tune in for a live concert from Portugal. Sahaja is mostly in lockdown, its income, which mainly comes from people coming to gain enlightment, reduced, and the need for security, unnecessary when all contact is over the net, so my son is no longer needed. It is time to move on. Having railed at times against his decision to live with a guru, I now feel very emotional about the end of this time. It has been such a brave and extraordinary way to live and what comes next who knows. Om's partner though it is a brilliant singer and before they left, she hosted their Sunday concert, with songs that she had written herself and more familiar bhajans. I have been privileged to enter their world their occasionally, I wonder when or if we will be back.
Beyond imagining. Beyond the postumous blogging of a grandmother's private diary, the reader has here the actual funeral service of a man in his 90s, a brother's father in law. One presumes the zoom audience was limited to family and friends, yet here the deceased man is, in his coffin, for any blog reader to see. No filter.
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