As I was sitting in the church waiting for Uncle Johnny's funeral Mass to begin, I couldn't help but be reminded of Aunt Mary's funeral in the very same church fifteen years ago at very nearly the same time of year.  At the time, I kept thinking about the circle of life events that brings us closer and closer to the front pew of the church at funerals.  Most of the time, when we are young we didn't attend funerals (at least we didn't and I recall it wasn't considered "seemly").  Then we get a little older and we are brought to the church for the funeral of great grandparents, grand aunts or uncles -- then it's grandparents and you are seated closer to the altar.  Except for tragic illnesses and accidents we might not be in the front pew until you are burying your last living parent.  As your spot on the family tree gets closer to the generation lost, so do you move closer to the altar to honor those gone before.

Fifteen years ago I was a bit horrified by that notion of getting old enough to be moving closer to the altar at funeral masses.  Much life experience has passed in those years and my view has changed. 

I've begun to focus on extended families in my research and, as a result, have found many new cousins on both sides of the family.  These cousins were preceded by aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and grandparents.  Now I feel as though all those souls join us in the church for the funeral masses.  To the left and right of my seat are the cousins we may not have even met yet.  In front of me are the aunts, uncles, parents and grandparents I never met in person but feel I know as well as any other.  Behind me are the nieces and nephews along with all their cousins not yet born or discovered.  Now, it brings great comfort to take my seat among others at a funeral to honor the soul now joined in heaven with those who loved him.

Angela tells me that Uncle Johnny talked of his mother and father shortly before he died.  How comforting that must have been for him as it is for Angela and her family.  So, Happy Birthday to your mom who's in heaven welcoming her brother and reuniting him with their parents.