“.........along with the sunshine, there’s got to be a little rain sometimes.......” these are meaningful words to a song that was popular some years ago. Most of what I do is joyous and celebratory but last week, I had the sad task of conducting a Memorial for a young man, Gareth. He had been ill for a number of years and his life was taken by multiple sclerosis. He had passed away earlier this year and at that time, family and friends were overwhelmed with emotion, unable to cope with organizing and attending a funeral. It was Gareth’s wish for cremation so he was privately cremated in March of this year and two weeks ago family and friends were invited to attend the memorial service which was held in a private garden. He was remembered with love, joy, humour, many tears, beautiful poems and readings and his family could now face the reality of his passing. I felt honoured to conduct his memorial and after scattering Gareth’s ashes over native shrubs, everyone scattered multi-coloured rose petals over the place where his ashes lay. “........Goodnight sweet prince and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Bear him, like a soldier, to the stage for he was likely, had he been put on, to have prov’d most royally.....” (William Shakespeare from ‘Hamlet’)
