Lessons from Tripp

Yesterday I had two friends burying a parent. Unfortunately, I couldn't be in two places as once (the funerals are at the exact same time), but I did cancel my plans for Monday afternoon and found someone to look after Calder so I could attend one of them. It was a no brainer for me. My gut was telling me that although I didn't know the deceased, I needed to go to support her daughter.

I have shared this one with you before, but I wanted to write about it again. One of the very first lessons I learned from Tripp was what to do when someone is grieving. There was a time before we lost Tripp that my gut would have been telling me to go to a funeral, but my brain would convince myself otherwise. I used to think that you needed to know someone to attend their funeral, but that isn't true at all. Going to a funeral can be to celebrate someones life, but it can also be to show your support to the loved ones left behind.

The most powerful thing people gave me after Tripp died were acknowledgements that they were thinking about Tripp and about our family. This came in the form of phone calls, emails, cards, texts, and visits. Some of these acknowledgements came immediately, others came months after Tripp died. These acknowledgements still come and are still incredibly powerful. 

I clearly remember Tripp's funeral and the thing that stands out most for me are the people who attended. . . some of whom I barely knew.  I felt deeply touched that they took time out of their day to come and show us that they loved Tripp too.

Yesterday, I attended a funeral to let a grieving daughter know that I am thinking about her mom and the rest of her family.

Happy Wednesday.


Comments

  1. Jordan - Thank you so much for attending yesterday - it really meant so much to me. I know my mom is touched from all of the love and support we have received from our friends. It is funny because when we were planning her funeral with her, she said I really don't think anyone will come. Well we sure proved her wrong!

    Love Alynne.

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  2. I was so happy to be there to celebrate your mom. She was WAY wrong. That room was quite full! It was a really beautiful gathering. I loved how it was set up as more of a social. It really felt like a celebration.

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