Today was filled with tears as we said our final goodbyes to my great aunt Lina. I tried to take it all in, take a step back for a moment of everything that was happening around me. We all gathered, dressed in black to show our morning, friends and family gathered around to say our final goodbyes. We stood in a line waiting for the clock bells to ring and signify that it was time to start. The bells rang and you could feel as everyone tensed up, since the time finally came to start. The pastor walked out and then it started to lightly rain, it seemed so fitting, I had to hide my smile it was like Tante Lina wanting to remind us that she was still there. The pastor stood in front of a simple light colored wood casket where atop sat a huge amount of white roses. We sang and the pastor said a couple of words. Then we proceeded to the grave where they lowered her casket into the ground. It then started to rain harder as we stood there, but this didn't seem to bother me or the surrounding people. I stood there behind my grandfather or opa, praying that he would be able to make it through this as he watched his sister be laid to rest, now leaving him the only survivor of his family, the youngest and the little brother. After the pastor spoke his words about laying her to rest we were able to approach the grave and give our own final words. Flowers were on either side for people to take and throw into grave as they spoke their final words. Again white roses were among the ones to choose from. On a side note why this is so special for me that there are white roses: for my sorority Delta Gamma our flower is the Delta Gamma Cream Rose, or white roses. I took a single rose stood there and look at the beautiful casket below me and as I tossed that single rose to accompany Tante Lina I thought of how fitting it was for me to take a flower that is so close to my heart and be able to give it to a great aunt that will always be in my heart.
We proceed into the church where the ceremony continued. Somber and quite as the pastor spoke of her life, things that I really didn't know and gave pieces of her to carry on. She lived through World War II, lived through Nazis Germany lived through a time in the world where life was uncertain but nevertheless lived. She married and had three children, and raised a farm. She left behind her now 8 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren among other family and friends. She left behind a legacy and her mark on the world. The choir sang, and as they sang it sounded like angels because they were high above us and their voices filled the small church. As the service ended we proceed to the local pub to enjoy coffee and sandwiches together. And even though we shared the "I am sorry for your loss" somehow the room was again full of life, people talking family and friends gathered. Something that was so peaceful and homey about being surround by family and people that loved and cared about a woman so greatly. The sun is now shinning again and really shinning where the clouds have parted to make way to warm our earth again, the first day since Tante Lina's passing. Her soul have finding it's final resting ground.
Tante Lina might have left her earthly body today in the grave, but she is alive and well taking her place in Heaven with our Heavenly Father. Also her body might no longer be with us but her spirit will live on, as I had said before she was known for giving the kids money and chocolate and then always telling us not to tell anyone about it, something that always brings a heartfelt smile to my face because we all knew she did it for all of us. May we celebrate her long lived 92 years of life and remember and extraordinary woman that has left on this earth so many people that she loved and who in return loved her also dearly.
Have an amazing rest of the day.
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