Weddings and Funerals

I do not believe in coincidences of any kind.  I do not think it is the coincident that most people wear the same type of cloths to funerals and weddings.  In fact, there is very little difference between the two ceremonies.  They  both contain new beginnings, loss of friends and lots of lies and regrets of left-out sentiments.  There is music and stories that are supposed to touch everyone.  Children seem to multiply as the ceremonies churns on with a plodding, unstoppable trudge.

Is it a coincident that relatives get emotional to make up for being lousy parents, aunts, uncles and third cousins with six fingers?  At a funeral a man  lingers around the coffin longer than usual trying to remember something interesting that can be said about the deceased.  At the wedding dinner, they makes toasts to the bride and groom with tears flowing and memories that probably did not happen in the first place.

I have fond memories of some weddings as a child.  I remember a Greek Orthodox wedding when I was five or six.  Grandpa got drunk and fell down.  The women were on one side of the table and the men on the other. I do not know when or why my attitude changed about them.   I did not go to a funeral until I was in my twenties.   I could never really see any reason to go.  I did not know they had food.  We had a "come visit my dad before he got really sick" party.  Even though I was much older, I did not know that was the reason for the party.  He did and I think his friends did so it was pretty much a funeral.  I think it was a nice twist on a theme.

I think weddings and funerals cost about the same amount.  When you think about it that way, a wedding party is a whole lot more practical.  I believe that the spirit and the soul leave the body behind and are are looking down on us.   Most people think their departed have gone to heaven.  Whether we are kicking dirt on them or kicking them out the door, the process should not cost seven thousand dollars.

So lets recap this.  Cloths the same, lots of  food, telling lies, visiting by guilt and lots of money wasted.  Yep, coincidentally the same? really! No coincidence there.