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Hope reading from her father's Memory Book

I am going to read something that my Daddy wrote for me (Hope) in my Memory Book.

"I think that an important thing to remember about death is that it is a crucial and natural part of life. Where we live, people don't like talking about it and see death as entirely negative, but in other places people are really open about it. They celebrate it as a thing to be faced positively and without fear! That is why in central and south America there are death parades with colourful, decorated skeletons and in Ireland people have a party called a wake - these are celebrations of their life that are joyful rather than sad, mournful affairs.

Once you embrace death as part of life, and as part of (rather than the end of) a journey, it is possible to live more fully! Really facing death helps you to stand up, breathe in, and LIVE every moment FULLY as if it were your last.

It gives you power, honey!

Don't be afraid, my darling."

Graveside Service:

Introduction by Tony Jacques from the Othona Community here

Memory Book Reading by Hope here

The Amen Song here

Reading from Isaiah 40 v28-31 here

Song - Tom Waits 'Shiver me Timbers' here

Poem - Andrew Young 'A Prospect of Death' read by Simon Russell here

Reading from 'Bladerunner' by Kym here

Childwickbury:

Introduction by Tony Jacques from the Othona Community here

Memories by Simon Russell here

Song - Tom Waits 'On The Nickel' here

Speech - Kym here

Hope and Joel's Song Accompanied by Steve Hartley here

Memories by Liz and Dom Thomas here

Song - Bruce Cockburn 'Child of the Wind' here

Further Memories by Kit Whitehead here

Joel and Hope here

Tribute by Katharina Kubrick Hobbs here

Memories from The Hospice of St Francis here

Song - 'Let The Sun Shine' with Gilo here

Toast by Tony here