When I am not reading, I am probably playing organ. One of my various musical engagements is accompanying funeral service at the organ. Some funerals are unforgettable beautiful. Recently, I encountered this kind of funeral again.
A man has died, I play organ at his funeral. The atmosphere was calm and peace, the clergy read his biography. The 80 years concluded in a very brief speech, reduced to his parents and his core family. One to two sentences about his career, not a word wasted on vulgar things like how important he was or his contributions for the society, a poem by him was read instead.
I think his poem has said every important thing in life. The poem is about planting an apple tree in his garden, until the tree bears fruits, he will pick the most beautiful apple for his love. The metaphor of taking care of a tree and presenting the most beautiful apple from the tree to his love is hauntingly beautiful. For how long it takes for a tree to grow from a seed to a bearing fruit tree? What does it mean to take care of a tree? Constant effort for decades, this is what he wanted to do for his loved ones according to his poem.
A story and a song came to my mind.
The story of a 4 years old girl who received a cup of soil from her grandfather, she promised to water the cup everyday and wait for miracle. It was easy for the 1st week, 2nd week was tiring, 3rd week she almost forgotten to water because when nothing is going to happen, why bothering to put water in it. However, the good grandfather said: “Every day!” Until something green came out from the cup. Yes, the plant needs water, most of all, the plant needs faithfulness of the carer.
In the song “I will give my love an apple”, the most beautiful apple is he himself, he hoped to give himself to his love. The apple is the place for his love to feel safe and feel at home. Enjoy those beautiful words and song.
“If you promise to put some water in the cup every day, something may happen,”
he told me.
“Every day, Neshume-le.”
“And all it needs is water, Grandpa?” I asked him.
Gently he touched me on the top of my head.
“No, Neshume-le,” he said.
“All it needs is your faithfulness.”
From the book
“My grandfather’s blessings : stories of strength, refuge, and belonging” by Rachel Naomi Remen. German title: Aus Liebe zum Leben – Geschichten, die der Seele gut tun.
I will give my love an apple without e’er a core,
I will give my love a house without e’er a door,
I will give my love a palace wherein she may be,
And she may unlock it without any key.My head is the apple without e’er a core,
My mind is the house without e’er a door,
My heart is the palace wherein she may be,
And she may unlock it without any key.
Note:
Thank you for the new cups of coffee! It means a lot to me! The Journey is free for everyone and your donation make this possible. If you want to support me, you can make a donation via:
https://ko-fi.com/thejourneywriter
More funeral stories?
The Light of Immortality
https://thejourney-writing.com/2022/03/the-light-of-immortality.html
A Coffin for Two
https://thejourney-writing.com/2023/01/a-coffin-for-two.html
It was Love
https://thejourney-writing.com/2023/01/it-was-love-es-war-liebe.html
