Well it's a rainy, cold, windy day here and I'm about ready to go do some retail theapy since I'm pretty sure all the Black Friday crowd is back at home, snug in front of the fire with a hot cup of something to soothe their shattered nerves. I did not go near the stores today - had no intention of doing so, but on top of that, I had to attend the funeral of a dear lady who died this week. Yes she was elderly but she was such a very vital, intelligent force of nature that it's hard to believe she's no longer on this earth.
There's a reason we have funerals and today reminded me why. We get to review the person's life and remember all the good things we knew about them; we learn many things we did not know (I, for example did not know that in the course of her long, full life, Ruth had been a dance instructor. I knew she had supported her family in a number of jobs after the death of her first husband but - dance instructor!)
She married Ed about 20 years ago. It must have been about 5 years ago that we were invited to Ed's 80th birthday party cum vows renewal celebration. It was quite a to-do. The rabbi asked Ed the usual question "Do you Ed, take this woman..." and at the end said, "Now think about this, Ed. Now's your chance!"
Ed replied, "Oh, okay. I will if she will!"
They found each other at a JCC Singles event. They were so well suited to each other, and as the rabbi said, Ed gave Ruth opportunities in life that she could only dream of: trips to London, Paris and eventually, an African Safari.
I remarked at how fortunate they were to have found each other, both after having lost their first spouse to illness.
Now Ed is alone again but with a large extended family - many step children and grand children, and such good memories of the last 20 or so years with his true soul mate, Ruth.
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