Carol Reeds - A Celebration of Life!

Yesterday was a very emotional day for me and everyone else who attended the funeral of my Aunt Carol. Carol had been battling Cancer for five years, her large, growing family keeping her going through some terrible, dark days. With their love and support, she won many fights, but ultimately Cancer took hold and she died peacefully at home, surrounded by her loved ones.

Cancer is indeed a terrible scourge, half of us will get it at some point in our lives. Watching someone you love suffer the ravages of this dreadful disease, opens your eyes to just what other people endure every single day. I became a volunteer at Cancer Research because of my Aunt; her struggle became my struggle, not in the same way, but in a way that I could help raise awareness and funds for a cause that I now champion in her name. Volunteering should be a personal journey, connecting us with groups and organisations that resonate with our own sense of purpose; I am glad to be doing my bit to help others currently confronting this dreadful illness!

Aunty Carols funeral was about a celebration of her life, encompassing everyone who knew her. Her final farewell began at Holy Trinity Church in Fareham, my home town, where I met my Father for the Service of Remembrance. The Church has major significance for my family - It was where Mum and Dad were married and where my Aunt and her family also celebrated milestones in their life. It is a beautiful church steeped in history and was packed with familiar faces, noticeable, as we took our place next to my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.

The service was powerful, touching and moving; the music brought back many memories of times spent with all my kinfolk in years gone by. Her daughters Tracy and Carrie-Anne spoke eloquently about their Mother, voices echoing around the hall, words spoken, striking a chord with all of us, sat in the pews. The Reverend Sally Davenport spoke poignantly about Carols life, her childhood, her husband my Uncle Terry and their large family, all the while encouraging memories to resurface, as if it was yesterday. Finally my Cousin Tim sang his favourite song 'You'll Never Walk Alone,' as his Mum lay peacefully in the white wicker casket in front of the alter, adorned with flowers and memories from a happy, fruitful, eventful life.

Te Revd Davenport spoke of my Aunts dedication to her brood. Carol never went on fancy holidays, in fact she rarely left her home town, she enjoyed being surrounded by those who mattered. These were words I had heard before, when referring to other family members. Maybe it is generational or maybe just unique to my relations, but they never travelled the World as I do today, they never wanted to see the Great Barrier Reef, the Leaning Tower of Pizza , Pyramids or Great Wall of China, as I strive to do; they were just content with the joy and laughter that families bring, in a house full of memories, in a home full of cheer! This was a service that made me realise just what matters in life, close bonds with those I love is important, more so now that ever, material gain and pursuit of wealth just isn't on my list of priorities, reconnecting with my past is the only substance that I desire.

After a Service of Committal at Portchester Crematorium, we went to the Cams Hall Golf Club for refreshments. I spent a good few hours in the company of family, that I rarely see these days, except on occasions like this. Talking about their lives, living in different parts of the Country, far removed from my childhood growing up in Fareham was a joy. The only positive aspect of the day for me, if there was such a thing, was the fact that all of us came together as a unit to celebrate my Aunts life. She would have been happy to know that we were all there together, chatting, reminiscing and reliving moments special to her.

The older I get the more funerals I am bound to attend, this is a sad fact of life. It is however a reminder of just how fragile and finite all of our lives are. For my Aunt to depart this mortal coil, surrounded by so many characters, all of whom played a role in her life, is testament to her ability to bring people together. It is a reminder of the love she was shown by all those who knew her, in life and in death, it is a tribute to the respect she was accorded...A Mother, an Aunt, a Grandmother, a fiend!