Too many funerals

I've done five funerals in ten days. I've done more, and I know some colleagues do this and more as normal, but it's too many. I'm funeraled-out (and I've two more next week).

Each had their moments, though. It was the first time I've arranged a funeral entirely by email; and the first time the words of committal were entirely drowned out by a piper. (Hint: if you have a piper at a crematorium, keep them outside.)

And taking funerals for people who were nice people, and much loved, is (I find) both emotionally much more demanding and also much more rewarding. Where there is love a funeral can help people forwards, can help them grieve. Where there isn't a funeral just seems to crystalise the barrenness of the relationship, to lock it in place.

One was a small, private, family funeral first thing in the morning followed by a public memorial service later that day attended by, amongst others, the mayor and members of the local authority. (See: keeping vigil.) It was a good service not because of official representation but because the people there genuinely valued the person who'd died. He was a Labour man all his life. A good number of the councillors were Conservatives some of whom, I know, were also close personal friends. The public, impersonal face of politics often does little to show or help the personal reality behind the press releases.

So I need some recovery time. Telling the world here is good - and keeps it private!