Memorial

My family and I (meaning me, my sister, mom, dad and brother) went to a memorial service on Saturday in Maine. It was for a family friend who once lived in our first neighborhood in Acton, MA and then relocated to Ogunquit, ME where we summered for years. Basically, I have known this family for most of my years. The mom is very artistic and has painted me bowls and knit me and my kids' sweaters and our Christmas stockings. I even got dressed on my wedding day in their house. It was the father that died suddenly, who the service was for. He was the one in the family that I knew the least.

Evidently, he did not want any kind of service or any attention drawn to him. Do you find this a selfish request of the deceased? I just think closure is important in a situation such as death and what provides more closure than a wake and/or service? So 2 weeks after he died, the family had this luncheon, memorial service for him. It was very thoughtful and many aspects of his life were well documented in the speeches that the people chosen gave. I actually learned a lot about him that I never knew. He played football in HS and College. I never saw him out of khakis and loafers. He sent people he loved newspaper articles (he read 6 papers a day!) and he never wanted presents on his birthday or Christmas, just cards.

So my brother writes a Monday question every week to a list of people that has grown into the 100's. It started with just his family and a few friends and has grown over the last 7 or so years to hundreds of "friends". He writes a question, we answer and he gives the results on Tuesday evening. Yesterday he spoke of the memorial service and how he had learned a lot, too. Then he asked,

"There were other things, but the point being, we all do so many things that others don't know about, and instead of hearing about them at your funeral, let's hear about them now.

Ok, gimme one, or two, or heck three things that we don't know about you, or that you think is particularly unique, or that you are over-the-top consistent with."

This has caused me to think (a lot). It eebs me out to think of what people would say at my funeral, but it made me curious to think what would be said. So the things that might be said about me are

"She ate plain M&Ms with a vengence. It's no wonder the girl wasn't 300lbs."

"She definitely did NOT throw like a girl."

"She was a sucker when it came to buying pens: permanent, ball point, colored, markers, paint pens and pencils. She had QUITE a collection!"

Anyway, it is/was weird to think about my mortality and I really don't want to be revisiting this topic for at least 50 more years. However, I will now turn the question on you.

Ok, gimme one, or two, or heck three things that we don't know about you, or that you think is particularly unique, or that you are over-the-top consistent with."