A Child's Funeral

Yesterday,
was busy as usual for our family--
school, work, normal stuff.
But in the evening,
our lives meshed with another family,
whose February 4th, 2011
was not a "usual" day.

Their special-needs daughter passed away
a week ago, Friday
and the funeral services or
"Celebration Services"
were held last night at their church,
New Life Church.

That church may ring a bell,
as it's been in the news before
for alot of unpleasant reasons.
There was a shooting there a few years ago,
and it was the home of T*d Haggard.

But the church last night,
wasn't about a darkened past,
but it was so full of love
it nearly glowed with light.

The sanctuary was pretty full--
teachers, bus drivers, caregivers, doctors, nurses,
and lots of friends and family
of this child
brought us all together
to show our quiet, united support
for her family.

The centerpiece of the sanctuary is a huge stage--
where her family sat on a sofa together,
and
her wheelchair stay still
tied with a couple hundred helium balloons
in all shades and colors--
inspiring the notion that this child
is now free from her
physical infirmities
that held her bound for her entire twelve years
of life in this world.

The family shared a video
they'd made of the last moments of their daughter/sister's life--
they knew she was just on this side of the veil
for a few more moments
and they captured that sacred experience on film.
Each family member was seen loving on their girl--
a young sister braiding her hair--
so she'd look beautiful for her "trip" to Heaven;
the mother and father equally caressing and kissing
their baby,
and finally,
the older brother whispering in her ear,
"I release you. You can go. We love you."
And following her brother's cue,
she left.

It was all very emotional.
All of it.
How could it not be?
I wondered how my youngest, Arianna,
would handle going to the funeral of a child;
her heart was overflowing and tears ran down her cheeks
in sorrow.
But knowing so many classmates of this young girl
would be in attendance,
(over 150 kids)
the organizers took it all into account
and there were light moments too.

At the conclusion of the services,
the congregation was invited to follow the ballloons outside--
they guided the wheelchair outside,
gave nearly every child a balloon,
and then on the count of 5-4-3-2-1--
they released the balloons to the sky.
It was magical.
We all applauded and sighed big emotional sighs.

And then,
to soothe the sorrow,
there were activiities like I've never seen at a funeral--
a huge hall full of bouncy houses
for all of the children to play in!

It was lovely, perfect.

And it turned my usual day
into a Gift...
an unexpected, beautiful gift.
Just like all children are for us...
whether their bodies are perfect and whole
in this life
or the next.