Opportunity lost

I was sitting there thinking "they are saying the right name, but honestly, the person they are describing doesn't sound a thing like the person I thought I knew."

I attended a funeral of a person I knew as a result of work. Largely, I went to the funeral out of a sense of propriety and obligation. I'm glad I did because I heard from people who knew this person on a wholly different way than I did.

The person I thought I knew was silly and unskilled and seemed lost most of the time. She had ideas, but seemed to fall apart beyond the idea. Although she was a branch manager, others were constantly having to go in and fix things for her. Basically, she was kinda a big ol' mess.

Now, I will say that the minister who preached the funeral was skilled. He knew how to spin what at the time was no doubt an annoyance into a folksy tale and elicit a smile. He sensed when the attendees were starting to nod and managed to get us all up and clapping . . . which I suspect was a clever way to wake us up before his big finale.

But, I also heard about a woman who was a crusader for the oppressed. Who, at an earlier time and place was loud in her views and opinions. I heard about a woman who lived a life in service to others. I heard about a woman with courage.

Which leaves me wondering what happened between then and now to rob her of her light? of her soul?

I would have liked to have known the other woman whose funeral I attended today.