Acknowledging death

The continuum of thought goes on today, perhaps a bit more mundanely, about death. (All Soul's Day). Perhaps we have got away from this, but in times past these annual times of requiem were pretty important. To be sure they still are, but in the stupid 'know it all' 21st century way we often allow these sort of things to fall by the wayside as being old-fashioned.
But in the last few years we have had a number of different types of memorial services. Sometimes on November 2nd we have had a quiet dinner for those who are still grieving the death of a loved one, they have brought photos and sometimes family members along. And it has been good to talk about someone who has died with fondness and sadness.
Denial, the seeming strategy of the 21st century for dealing with death, doesn't (indeed NEVER) works. Whether it be the funeral industry who seem to do everything they can to make funerals about anything other than death....if I go to one more funeral in which the 'director' says "The family don't want this to be sad they want this to be a celebration of life!"...I mean why can't it be both?
And why don't funeral professionals (usually anything but) stop conspiring with our death denying culture and help people to realise that the way you get through it is by embracing it not by pretending it didn't happen. People do not PASS AWAY, they die.
I am conscious I am sidetracked.
We have also held a pre-Christmas service (sometimes called Blue Christmas) for those who can't face the jollity of Christmas this year but who shouldn't be denied Christmas...indeed must not...if they are to embrace stable life again.
What more could be said of annual services in hospices which I have attended, which have been wonderful celebrations of the lives of people who have died. Filled with sadness, but also great thankfulness for the wonderful care of Hospices like , Mary Potter, Daw House and Modbury, QEH and Lyell McEwin.
Much to think about today.