A Celebration of Life (Eulogy)

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Open Poetry #43

A Celebration of Life (Eulogy)

threadbear
Senior Member

since 2008-07-10

Posts 817
Indy

0 posted 2008-12-22 02:13 PM

**Note:  I posted this eulogy to help others who may wish to write a 'Celebration of Life' eulogy / service instead of a sad traditional eulogy.  Of all the things I've written, I consider this the most important and finest work of my life, perhaps because it was the most honest reflection of love a man could write.  I was blessed with a wonderful mother and father.  The passing of them is something we all have to face eventually, and I hope this helps to get thru that awful heartbreaking time.
------------------------------------------------

Mom’s Eulogy  (Judith Eichel Whitaker 1934-2007)

  Hi, everyone.  My sister Jane and I, want to first express our heart-felt gratitude,
to all of you who have taken precious time during this busy season of the year, to be here today.

A person’s End of Days is always difficult to cope with:
-   from the immediate family
-   to her friends and co-workers
-   to those who simply loved Judy for who she was.

Today, therefore, is meant to symbolize a Celebration of Life.

I have no uncertainty that she was lovingly received into the most wonderful place in the Universe:  Heaven,
     and that can never be a sad thing.
I have the clearest picture in my mind of God opening his arms to her, embracing her, and welcoming her home.
She was blessed with a great spirit of empathy, especially for those who have been afflicted by illness or sadness.
She gave freely of herself without asking for anything in return:
     and she imparted love generously to others who shared her life.

  She was a complex but wonderful person.

To fully Celebrate Life, one must be thankful for the gifts that are bestowed upon us.
Mom was blessed with several miracles in her all-too brief life.
She survived a severe heart attack to enjoy 13 more years.
She survived an initial bout with cancer well over a year ago.
During Thanksgiving, Mom struggled again.
  Somehow she defied all odds and pulled thru.  Jane, Mom & I were able to spend Thanksgiving
day together, with mom fully awake, chowing down on , not one, but two, Thanksgiving dinners!
That precious day will always stay in our minds as one of the best remembered moments in our lives.

Both Jane and I chose to stay in Indianapolis,
    and I know Mom cherished that her children were not half a nation away.

This is a wonderful time of the year:
       full of fellowship, reunited families & worship,
Mom loved Christmas – it was her most favorite of all days.

Have a Merry Christmas     people say.
On Birthdays they say:  Happy Birthday,
  not Merry Birthday.
Merry means:    full of gaiety, jolly, and festive
That is what a Celebration of Life is.

Mom loved movies – especially ones  that showed love and kindness.
There’s one movie in particular, that she and I watched together one year:  “The Blue Bird (of Happiness)” with Shirley Temple.
In it is a scene where she meets her Grandmother and Grandfather in their Heaven.
   Each time that someone thought of them, they were unfrozen and became alive to finish their works.
For years after that,  every time I thought of Mom’s mother: Ida Mae, I hoped that in heaven Nana
    would somehow know that she was being fondly remembered.

We can keep our loved ones alive in our hearts, and God willing, perhaps somewhere in heaven a bell rings, an angel says:
"One-way call on line 1 from your loved ones, thinking of you!"

I got to thinking about the Presence of the Lord in my spirit.
It has become alive in me since Mom has gotten sick.  I don’t wish to offend anyone here, I truly don’t.
The emptiness, the large piece of my soul that was removed when Mom passed,
    I can only compare to the way people without the Grace of God in their soul must feel at times.
Whatever uncertainty I felt about life and death and reasons for living
    were removed when the Lord came back into me, and renewed my spirit.
Imagine, for just a moment, how you would feel if the Spirit was no longer in you:
    how confusing your time on earth would feel, how directionless it could be.
That is how I know there is a God of heavenly mercy that must truly exist.
Grief can be replaced with love.

I would like to relate a brief heartwarming story that recently occurred to me about mom.
Years ago, when Mom got her first divorce, a wonderful woman, perhaps some of you even remember her:
   Edna Belcher -  came into our life.  She was my first babysitter.  Her sons, Mark and David were my age.
She was a devote Christian woman, and I always felt at ease in her home.
Over the years, I’ve never forgotten her or her family.
It was one of mom’s last wishes that I call her, and I just never got ‘around to it.’
Out of the blue, just a few weeks ago, she called me, after 35 years, to ask how
   Mom, Jane & I were doing and to say that she still loved me, even before she knew Mom was sick
I was incredibly touched.  We shared fellowship over the phone for a long long time.
She lives in Florida now.  Funny thing, I knew instantly who she was just by the sound of her voice.
The love of God never leaves us.  Perhaps we just filter it out, but all it takes is a small trigger to awaken it.

My hopes and wishes, for all of you here today, is that you, too, will fully
   accept the Lord God into your heart, and be granted the peace that I have been blessed with.

I have had 3 human mentors in my life:
my partner:  Macena, who everyday fills my life with her spiritual goodness
my father, who has wisdom beyond the ages,
and our mother:  who has given me the gift of language, the gift of compassion
                            and the gift of humor, no matter how goofy we could both be.
Unconditional love and genuine empathy are the family candles that are always lit
   and ready to be given freely.

Please help us today in celebrating mom’s life,
and perhaps she has shared some of these same  gifts with you also.

  The very last song that Mom heard was a gorgeous rendition of “Amazing Grace” sang to her by
the Chaplain on her final day.  My friend, Doug, my partner: Macena and I would like all of us, if you feel so moved to commemorate
Mom’s life by singing a verse of this song.

Would you, if you feel so inclined in Celebration of Judy Whitaker, to sing this verse, together with us:

((song)  "Amazing Grace")

For all the wonderful moments, you have given all of us,
our dear, sweet Mom,
we all - thank you.                                                       Written by Jeff Feezle – December, 2007

***Postscript:  When I was done, even the people with tears in their eyes, had a smile upon their heart, also.  That is what a Celebration of Life is intended to do: ease the sorrow by remembering the sweet parts of a lifetime.

[This message has been edited by threadbear (12-22-2008 03:00 PM).]

nakdthoughts
Member Laureate

since 2000-10-29

Posts 19200
Between the Lines

1 posted 2008-12-22 06:30 PM

Jeff, I am so sorry for your loss last year and understand fully what you are missing. Although my Mother is still alive and fairly healthy living with my older brother in Tenn. I miss her every day.

I am also so glad you have Macena with you to share your days and nights. I think of you often especially when catching up with Terry. I am wishing you a healthy and Merry Christmas and a happy new year~~

all my love to you both~~
Maureen

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