HH and I watched – back to back – two excellent funeral episodes of our favorite shows last weekend. And I’ve attended two funerals on as many Saturdays – the first for one of my favorite people who passed away much too soon and the second for a Charlotte institution in the arts world.
I love a good funeral.
It’s not about the choreography or the music or the refreshments. It’s always about the person and the way that person is remembered – preferably within the context of God’s grace. I’ve known followers of Jesus whose funerals were weirdly impersonal – about both the deceased and the Creator. And I’ve known atheists whose funerals were surprisingly holy.
The funeral of Rebecca’s father on Ted Lasso was one of the best ever and not because her father was a great guy. It was perfect because her people who didn’t just show up; they were with her in a way that only deep affection can muster. The funeral of Coop’s father on Your Friends and Neighbors was inspiring to watch if only because it illustrates what not to do when a loved one dies. Coop is surrounded by his “friends and neighbors” but they are all fake.
All this is related to a podcast I heard recently with Bill Burnett, the author of Designing Your Life. I’m in a privileged stage in life in that – so far – I’ve had a great life and if I died tomorrow, it would have been much more than enough. And yet I’m beginning a totally new stage of life in a new city, with new opportunities, and new adventures. Everybody should get this: a fresh chapter.
A good funeral can kick start a fresh chapter. To hear about someone’s authentic bravery and sacrifice or someone’s tireless creativity prompts us to do better – even if what we do is not all that sacrificial or creative. A good funeral makes me want to be a better human. What about you?
A Church for Starving Artists 