Grannie passed away...

jen007

My grannie passed away this morning, I was sat by her hospital bed all day yesterday... I've an overwhelming feeling of wanting to do a reading, maybe a poem. But I don't know where to start.
All her funeral arrangements were taken care of a few years ago.

I was very close to her, but I don't want to step on any of my cousins toes. Do I even mention my feelings to my family?
Any suggestions of nice, not too religious poems to read?


I'm so grateful I got to say goodbye to her. I'll miss her so.

Own_My_Own

Just wanted to say how sorry I am for your lose, and that I will be thinking of you.
I was very close to my Nan so I can understand how you are feeling.
xxxx

XYZ1000

Very sorry that you have lost your Grannie. I was very close to mine too when she went around 3 years ago. It is very hard to get use to them not being around. Hopefully she didn't suffer too much at the end. Big (((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))) for you and your family.

If she search around on the web you should find some poems I found this one a big help getting through the early days:

Do not sit here and weep.
I am not here, I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glint on snow...
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain,
I am the shining star at night,
When you awake to the morning light.
My time has come, I am at rest.
I am the sunset in the west,
I am the clouds that race above,
Where I watch over those I love.
Do not sit here and cry,
I am not here, I do not die,
So hear these words that now I say,
I am the love that guides your way."

I think you should mention to your cousins that you would like to do something. There should be enough time if they too would like to do something too. If they are like me they would be too scared of going up!! Good luck hun x

casslass

Sorry for your loss. I had a few poems/readings at my dads funeral which was a humanist one.

There is spell of sleep by Kathleen Raine
Let him be safe in sleep
As leaves folded together
As young birds under wings
As the unopened flower.

Let him be hidden in sleep
As islands under rain,
As mountains within their clouds,
As hills in the mantle of dusk.

Let him be free in sleep
As the flowing tides of the sea,
As the travelling wind on the moor,
As the journeying stars in space.

Let him be upheld in sleep
As a cloud at rest on the air,
As a sea-wrack under the waves
When the flowing tide covers all
And the shells’ delicate lives
Open on the sea-floor.

Let him be healed in sleep
In the quiet waters of the night
In the mirroring pool of dreams
Where memory returns in peace,
Where the troubled spirit grows wise
And the heart is comforted.

Fleago

I'm sorry for your loss, Jen. If you wanted a piece of prose as opposed to a poem, the following is lovely:

A Parable of Immortality - Henry Van Dyke

"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, 'There she goes!'

Gone where? Gone from my sight ... that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says, 'There she goes!', there are other eyes watching her coming and their voices ready to take up the glad shouts, 'Here she comes!'"

I'm sure your cousins won't mind your paying tribute by doing a reading or a poem for your grannie.

aliasojo

jen007 wrote: »

I was very close to her, but I don't want to step on any of my cousins toes. Do I even mention my feelings to my family?

I'm sorry for your loss.

Of course you must mention your feelings. I'm sure your family would be pleased that you want to do this.

I wish you strength. x

Drachenfach

I've been browsing this forum a lot recently while dealing with the loss of my grandmother-in-law; I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

I know our family were all eager for a family member to do a reading at the funeral, but didn't want to push anyone into doing it, in case they found it too much. Ultimately my other half and one of Nan's nephews both read a piece, and it was lovely, if emotional.

I'm sure your family would be both pleased and relieved to know that this is something you would like to do. Perhaps you could have a look at some readings or poems, and ask for their thoughts?

We found a site called 'the lasting post' was very helpful in looking for possible poems and readings

Manchee

My father passed away about a year and a half ago. This was one of the pieces at his funeral that I found quite comforting -

A rose once grew
where all could see,
sheltered beside
a garden wall,
And as the days passed
swiftly by,
it spread its branches, straight and tall....

One day, a beam of light
shone through
a crevice that had
opened wide ~
The rose bent gently
toward its warmth
then passed beyond
to the other side

Now, you who deeply
feel its loss,
be comforted ~ the rose blooms there ~
Its beauty even greater now,
nurtured by
God's own loving care.

troubleinparadise

She Is Gone (He Is Gone)

You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins

McKneff

troubleinparadise wrote: »

She Is Gone (He Is Gone)

You can shed tears that she is gone

Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone

Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what she would want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins

Wow, that is so thought provoking. And so very true.
Thank you for that. Wonderful.

Tiglath

I'm so sorry for your loss. John O'Donohue wrote a beautiful blessing:

http://youtu.be/ZhMCBnwS220