Comments on: Green Fields

By: Ebonmuse

Ebonmuse — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:57:07 +0000

Thank you, Steve; you do me great honor. Of course, you have my permission to use or adapt this piece in any way you see fit. You have my sympathy for your loss.

By: Steve Bowen

Steve Bowen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:02:40 +0000

Adam Hi!
I was going to send this as a personal email, but on reflection I feel that I am among friends on Daylight Atheism so decided to comment here instead. As you know my father passed away on the 4th July. I have spent the last few days away from work, caring for my mother, sorting out her affairs and arranging the funeral. My mother had an interesting concern; neither her or my father had been to church (other than weddings, christenings and funerals)for years and was dreading meeting the local vicar to talk about the service. I suggested that as neither of them were practicing christians why not opt for a humanist ceremony instead, to which she agreed. Actually I was surprised as although not particularly religious my mother is very traditional in her outlook and would normally be very aware of the feelings of other relatives in this regard. Anyway, today we met with a humanist celebrant and she has helped us to construct a simple but moving ceremony which I am sure will honour my father and satisfy any in the congregation that are of a religious disposition. I am writing my fathers eulogy and have incorporated Scotlyns excellent take on the ever changing "I" as I narrate his life story.
However she (the celebrant) threw me a little when she sugested that either her or I should read an appropriate poem at the end of the ceremony as a closing thought. For some reason I don't find verse as inspiring as I should and didn't really have clue what to suggest. Then I remembered Green Fields. I read this piece to her and it blew her and my mother away. So with your permission this will be the end note to my father's passing and the final thoughts the congregation will leave with. Thanks for your inspiration, Ebonmusings and Daylight Atheism which have all helped me through this difficult time.

By: 2[Y]™ | Humanist Symposium #38: The Meaning of Life

2[Y]™ | Humanist Symposium #38: The Meaning of Life — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:06:48 +0000

[...] I want to close with fantastic piece of blogging art by the one and only, Adam, Daylight Atheism. His grandmother passed away recently and my sympathies go out to him. I’ve dealt with this when my grandmother died in 2002 in Ukraine, and we couldn’t go back for the funeral. Before closing this wonderful edition of Humanist Symposium, I want to mention that we still don’t have a host for the next edition. If you are interested, go here. To end I will quote Adam from his timeless piece “Green fields”: [...]

By: no2religion

no2religion — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:48:33 +0000

My heartfelt condolences. Vjack just went through this and there was such wonderful outpouring from his readers. When I read what was posted there and here it shows me just how compassionate we atheists are.

By: Alex Weaver

Alex Weaver — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:30:32 +0000

Having lost a beloved family member of a different sort within the last several weeks, this was both moving and welcome. A printed copy of this is, I think, going in her urn alongside her favorite squeaky ball and her collar, once I'm ready to scatter/bury her ashes (and decide which is more suitable). I'd actually be interested in having this read at my funeral, someday...

By: Ebonmuse

Ebonmuse — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:02:40 +0000

Thank you, friends, for your kind words. What I find most profoundly moving and strange is the thought that at the genetic level, one-fourth of me is her. That knowledge gives me reason to believe, in a non-supernatural sense, that the deceased live on in us.

By: jim coufal

jim coufal — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:56:24 +0000

Ebon:
Thanks for sharing this tribute to your grandmother. I never knew, met, or even saw my grandparents, but we all have someone whose passing moves us in a powerful way. And your words remind me how important it is, IMHO, to let those we love know how we feel before they die, whether it in a simple straightforward delivery, or the setting up of a memorial of any expression.

Home

You can't go home again
no matter what you do,
home will have changed
and so also will you.

You should go home again
no matter what you do,
home is the place
where love is loyal, and fierce, and true.

You will go home again
no matter what you do,
the deep abyss of eternity
unfailingly awaits for you.

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:09:37 +0000

To all who liked the feelings you had you should read "Stardust" in Ebon Musings

By: TommyP

TommyP — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:46:25 +0000

Beautifully written. Your Grandmother would be proud, I think. I was very inspired.

By: Timothy Mills

Timothy Mills — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:17:52 +0000

Powerful words. Thankyou for sharing them. You have my sympathy for your grandmother's death.

By: Danikajaye

Danikajaye — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:21:36 +0000

I'm sorry for your loss. A wonderful example of how life still has meaning and beauty without God. Powerful imagery.

By: Lux Aeterna

Lux Aeterna — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:04:27 +0000

I first started thinking about life and death (and what comes after) after watching the Lion King:

The Circle of Life goes on.