This may sound crazy to you, but the last time i attended a funeral was my Lolo Carlos Contreras Sto. Domingo who died sometime in 1992. It was a reunion of sorts since my Lolo had his way with the ladies of his generation and ended up with more than 5 wives. You can imagine how many siblings my dad have, and more so how many cousins we are in total. It was definitely as ludicrous and hilarious as it can be. It was a celebration of sorts bordering nearly on a circus. I had a great time meeting and greeting my cousins even though i had a hard time remembering their names. I went to the funeral but not the burial rites though.
But with the recent funeral I attended , it was quite different and a lot more emotional. There they were in Mourning. Not actually celebrating like my perception betrays me to be. I saw how this people loved, admired and respected their Father and Grandfather , how they were enslaved by sorrow and how for the time being lost a sense of hope. I guess I attended a real funeral… one where it’s ok for you to cry and be embraced in deafening silence. Where tears are your only solace. I havent, frankly experienced such an emotion before and I don’t ever want to. I guess if the person who died lived an honorable and God- fearing life, family and friends mourn. Yes, I’ve met her late grandfather and even though we seldom converse, you can tell he was a good and honorable man by interacting with the people around him.