Thoughts on passing

Went to a funeral yesterday, and three things stand out — one, a Unitarian hymn, that spoke of the great mysteries and wonders that are greater than the hope of resurrection —

and two, of how what the Unitarian speakers spoke to remind us that the love was universal and eternal and persistent —

and three, that I heard the great music played, and thought once more of how music is eternal, that what it is essentially is a tempo-spatial pattern of air disturbances that have been recorded, and through the use of tuned instruments, can be reproduced ad infinitum and always retain its essential identity —

and thinking about how human identity, meaning, purpose, love, could likewise be a psychological pattern of functions imprinted on the biological brain substrate that nevertheless keeps reproducing itself in new forms and new permutations, nevertheless giving rise to universal dramas of the human condition such as love, heartbreak, joy, happiness, and peace.

and thinking, for the first time, as I watched an aged man, an old fraternity brother, stand up to eulogize the man who had passed, GB, that the nature of friendship meant that I would either eulogize my friends or they would eulogize me.

and thinking of words I’ll say over my parents, one day.

And sitting next to M, poor M, and holding onto her as tight as I possibly could.

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