h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I spent yesterday at a funeral. As funeral's go it was wonderful. A good ole southern baptist one where the preacher yells "can I get an amen???!!! Can I get a hallalujah???" and where people yell "preach"!!. We had to hug each other, we had to look into the eyes of perfect strangers and tell them we loved them. We had to hug people. It was a really good experience. However, it was the reason I was there that is hard to fatham. It was for one of the administrative assistants at my office. You all know someone like Dana. Young mother, takes care of getting all the money and arranging baby showers, wedding showers. Sends out the flyer for the monthly birthday celebration. Does light secretarial work here and there, is a relief receptionist. She deals with the lunch caterers and delivery men. She is that sunny little bright face that while you don't know her entire story, you know her enough, chat about her kids (7,5,3) and take ownership of her. Our Dana. She was tiny. She was only 26. She was extremely religious, however she didn't preach to you or let it be known. She hung out with this here agnostic just fine. Then one day she doesn't show up. And that husband of hers you thought was great? The one that seemed so endearing as he always dropped her off and picked her up where she needed to go. The one that stopped in for lunch. The one that seemed so attentive, the one that you never figured out was a little too stifling, a little to constraining a little too possessive.......until he stabbed her 18 times and set fire to the house to cover his crime. Now he lays in a bed, in the hospital while the police wait for him to be cognizant so they can arrest him....3 children start a new life with a great aunt, many family members, friends and coworkers are in stunned disbelief and guilt over the fact that they didn't dig in and know her enough to know what was going on and save her.

It was a beautiful wonderful interactive service. I hugged people I never met before, I heard to get my house in order, I heard that I need to be thankful for each minute and to cherish those in my life. So I'm gonna try. If only cause I think that it would make Dana happy. I need to change something, I can't let this little girl die in vain.