A silent tear

At the beginning of the week I said goodbye to my granddad for one final time at his funeral service. It was a miserable day, I woke up and the rain was crashing on my conservatory. I wasn’t all that bothered it was raining as no one can see your tears when it rains, I was more worried about what the day would bring and how I’d deal with it.

It was a humanist service, not your traditional do with hymns and readings from the bible. As far as these type of things go it was ok, I managed to keep my emotions to a minimum – rightly or wrongly.

My dad had asked me if I wanted to do a reading and reluctantly I agreed. He said Granddad would have liked me to read at his funeral but what I really think he meant was he’d like me to read something and so I did. I was lucky enough to come across a beautiful poem which was perfect, it summed up what I think Granddad would want me to say. Other than learning to use a washing machine it’s probably the single hardest thing I have had to do all year. I was worried I wouldn’t make it to the end of the poem all be it only three versus but I did. My voice wobbled the whole way through and I could only make a glance at the packed room just the once as I uttered the final verse. I’m glad I did it, I felt quite proud of myself but I hope that I don’t have to do something like that for a long while to come.

The poem I read.

A Silent Tear

Just close your eyes and you will see
All the memories that you have of me
Just sit and relax and you will find
I'm really still there inside your mind

Don’t cry for me now I'm gone
For I am in the land of song
There is no pain, there is no fear
So dry away that silent tear

Don’t think of me in the dark and cold
For here I am, no longer old
I'm in that place that’s filled with love
Known to you all, as "up above"