Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

On Wednesday afternoon we went to Crownhill Crematorium to say goodbye to Alan.  We met up with John & Marie and Kay and Peter who had travelled down from Suffolk for the occasion.  Alan wasn’t religious and so had chosen to have a celebration of life ceremony instead of a traditional service.  And what a lovely ceremony it was, gentle, dignified, laughter and of course some sadness, as we remembered that Alan was no longer with us.  The tributes from Sue and Alan’s family were moving beyond words and I think if Alan could hear, he would have been proud of all of them. 

Alan’s sister Anne said that a few days before he passed, Alan grabbed her hand in the hospice; he thanked her for visiting and said that since his retirement 4 years ago, he had lived his life like a rock star. I thought to myself, WOW what a wonderful thing to be able to say.  It gave me some comfort and I hope it does to Sue in the days and months that follow. Classical music was played at the beginning and during the ceremony but it was the last song as the ceremony came to end that made me smile, it was so typical of Alan. It was a song from the Monty Python Life of Brian film, ‘Always look on the Bright Side of Life’. 

As we walked out of the chapel of rest we were given little memorial cards of Alan.  I thought they were a wonderful momentum, much nicer than the usual order of service paper leaflets that you usually get given.  I am going to keep mine and it will of pride of place on my fridge door.  We carried on celebrating Alan’s life at the Swan Revived Hotel in Newport Pagnell.  Sue has organised a buffet and I think almost everyone from the crematorium came back to the hotel.  There were copies of photographs of Alan, Sue and family and friends taken in all kinds of locations around the world.  Now I thought we were reasonably well travelled, but boy, Sue & Alan have been to all kinds of remote places.

It was nice to see Anne & Jim, friends of Sue & Alan that we met briefly last year, albeit in such sad circumstances.  It was also nice to be introduced and speak to Alan & Sue’s family.  Sue speaks about them all often and it was nice to be able to put faces to names.  Naturally, it was a difficult day for them but they all handled it very well.  And do you know what, saying goodbye to someone is usually very sad but this day didn’t really seem like a goodbye but a true celebration of Alan’s life.

Alan was the same age as Phil, only 55.  Alan’s message of not worrying so much, being happy and always looking at the bright side of life is a good one.  I for one, spend so many of my days worrying and sometimes, worrying about things over which I have no control.  Why?  It’s a cliché I know and one that I have said before but you should live each day like it’s your last because you just never what shit awaits for you around the corner.

http://www.justgiving.com/Carrie-AnneHudson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYw2qsIeQDY&feature=related