The Cathedral was quite full on a sunny, and blustery late October afternoon. We had all come to pay our respects to a recently deceased one hundred and two year old man. 102 years old! Yes, you read that correctly.
His name was Elmer and he was my neighbour's father. He was born during WW1 and served in WW2, in the North Shore Regiment. He returned home, married, had four children and retired from the paper mill here, after forty-two years of employment. By all intents and purposes, a full and meaningful life. There is a lot of living to be done in over a century. Imagine ALL the extraordinary changes he witnessed in his lifetime.
His life was also extraordinary for another reason. Why, you may ask? It is because Elmer served his country, and was prepared to die, at the age of twenty three. He was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, so that we could live freely. Now that is truly EXTRAORDINARY.
His daughter, who gave his "eulogy", spoke briefly, but very eloquently about her father. This is what she said,and I am paraphrasing her words.
"My father did not want a eulogy. I cannot begin to try to tell you about my father's life in five minutes, but I do want to share a story that he told me and my two siblings, a mere three weeks ago. He seldom shared his memories of the war, but that day, he pulled a piece of paper from his wallet. We had never seen this piece of paper. Father proceeded to tell us that a Sergeant came into their barracks, while they were stationed and awaiting deployment during WW2, asking for three volunteers to wash the floor of the barracks. The Sergeant then proceeded to point out three volunteers, my father being one of them.
While washing the floor, he saw this piece of paper on the floor and picked it up. It was a picture of a Saint, but some of the printing had faded and he couldn't make out the name. He was however, able to read the caption underneath, which said, "Bénissez ma route." "Bless my path."
Elmer pocketed that picture and now, seventy-two years later, shared it with his children, telling them that he HAD indeed, been blessed his entire life.
A short and simple story, but it tells us volumes about the man, does it not?
Elmer was accompanied to his forever home, by an Honour Guard from the Royal Canadian Legion. There was a very solemn, touching dedication and special ceremony at the end of the funeral, as befitting a veteran of the Second World War. Elmer had arrived at his "Last Post."
While I knelt and prayed for this brave centennarian, my thoughts were also elsewhere, with other people in this big, wonderful and democratic country we live in.
Every day children are born into this world, where complications at birth make their future uncertain. Parents may or may not get to hold, love and nuture this new life they have brought into the world. The heartache is unimaginable. Those children and parents need our thoughts and prayers as well.
Life itself is a miracle. Life is also a circle, interwoven beginnings and endings. For some it is a long way to the end, and for others, barely a glimpse. What a privilege we human beings have, to live, to love and to be loved.
Monday is Remembrance Day. Lest we forget.
Beautiful. <3
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