We ended the day going to Art's uncle's funeral. (This time, we got the right day.)
The funeral was touching and beautiful. We saw a lot of relatives and caught up on the latest happenings. I saw one thing that made an impression on me.
A grandmother was carrying her granddaughter in her arms in front of me as we lined up to offer incense at the Buddhist altar. The child looked about three years of age. Grandmother kept telling the child, "Yes, we all die and when we die we go to see Jesus. That's right. We'll all be with Jesus." Then she showed her granddaughter how to put her hands together for a prayer and offer incense. She then left with her granddaughter. I went up and did my offering but before I finished, the grandmother was back again to have her granddaughter offer another prayer. As she left she was saying again how Jesus would welcome her.
I had to smile.
After the service, there was a huge banquet. I'm stuffed! I'd forgotten what an incredible feast people lay out at funerals in Hawaii. We enjoyed seeing all the relatives and made promises to each other to have another party so that a funeral is not the only thing that brings us together again. Uncle will like that.
Is each bunch of flowers a grave? No big engraved stones on the ground like here? The unstructured look of the field is quite refreshing; beautiful, in fact.
ReplyDeleteMay Uncle rest in peace.
Is it a big no-no in Buddhism to make a mishmash of different religions? What would Buddha say to the grandmother?
Yes, each of those flowers would be in front of a grave. What would Buddha say? Hmmm... I think he'd be fine with it. It's more in the intentions, I think. And no, I don't think Buddhists care all that much about mixing it up if that's what somebody wants to do. If it gives you peace and doesn't hurt anybody...go for it.
ReplyDeleteDavid's sister died in 2007 at the age of 52. Huge funeral at the Salvation Army Chapel on Vineyard Blvd. Full of music and laughter. Afterward, food for over 100 people. The next day, a simple burial ceremony with only siblings and their wives and children present.
ReplyDeleteYour cemetery is like the new ones here. The last one we got is called, "Royal Oaks" and was a farm, put out in grass, and graves. The graves only have a bronze plaque and flowers something like this. They can cut the grass and mow right over the graves. They have a rake thing that takes up the flowers and scraps them before they mow.
ReplyDeleteI hope the Mynah is able to find a suitable place for a home. Can you offer it some directions?
Thanks for your visit to my blogs and for your comments there.
If you go to my blog, Bear's Mill, you can see an old fashioned bicycle or tricycle.
well I didn't even get the connection between Jesus and Buddhism...shows how Christianized I am. Now the story makes more sense. Thanks for sharing a sweet moment. Yes it is funny how we only get together for special occasions like funerals and weddings as a family. That's why reunion are popular here.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely day for him, much better than last week's rainy Friday! I'm glad you were all together again and his resting place is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDid you remember your phone?
;-)
What a persistant bird! What is the score now?? A nice thought to share about the grandmother and granddaughter...And it seems that families come together for funerals and weddings but we should make time for just "gatherings" in life as well!
ReplyDeleteGigi: Gosh! I thought 89 was too young. 52 was much, much too young. I'm so sorry for David's and your loss.
ReplyDeleteAbe: Yes, there were bronze plaques at this memorial park also. I imagine this makes maintenance a lot easier.
I stopped at your blog, Abe, but I didn't see the bicycle.
Lin: I admit I was perplexed when I saw the grandmother doing her thing. I was figuring that since she seemed to be a rather strong Christian, she would show her respects quickly and get on with it. However, she came back again to reinforce what they did at the Buddhist altar. I was actually perplexed but smiled at her flexibility.
Susan: LOL! Oh yes! I sure did remember this time.
Cheryl: Pesistence must be this fellow's name!
I'm sure that Art's uncle was smiling! Glad the family got together, that's always good, although like you, I like to think it can be done without a funeral. Have a lovely weekend, Kay!
ReplyDeleteKay
ReplyDeleteyour headers are absolutely breathtaking ... in a very literal sense ... each time I log on to your pages, I gasp with wonder and amazement
thanks a ton .. you brighten each of my days
I may be wrong, but I always like to hear about a funeral where the people go away thinking they've had a good time meeting with their friends and relatives and reminiscing about their lost loved one. It seems right that a funeral should be about moving forward as much as about looking backward.
ReplyDeleteSylvia: Thanks, Sylvia. It really was wonderful to see everybody. I loved hearing Auntie tell us how she used to be exasperrated with him because he kept fixing everything. She couldn't get any new appliances because he was always able to repair anything.
ReplyDeleteJanice: Oh thank you, Janice. I'm so happy you like them.
Amanda: I love your line about moving forward as well as looking backward. It's so very true.
I hope you can keep those promises. We made some of the same ones at my aunt's funeral.
ReplyDeleteI think your Uncle is smiling Kay. When I was in Hawaii I went to The Byodo Temple and thought how very beautiful it was. We also went to the Punchbowl to lay flowers on the grave of an uncle of my father-in-law's wife. They are truly beautiful and peaceful surroundings.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kay, for the good explanation. Sometimes I envy such an attitude. Maybe I should finally read the well-known "The Jew in the Lotus" book.
ReplyDelete