Falling Friday - The Wake

The wake was well attended.  The funeral home had to direct traffic and the lines were long.

The deceased was the youngest of 12 children and her husband had a large family, too.  She had been popular with many friends, and the wait to get to the coffin and the receiving line was well over an hour.

Boards displayed photos of an active life - her love of music, her love of family and poetry.  She enjoyed outdoor activities at a vacation home near a Pennsylvania lake. 

My mother in law, who has fallen many times and now has limited mobility, talked about other funerals while we waited.  The long lines reminded her of her brother in law's funeral. He had been a fireman in a suburban New York City city. He had fallen off a roof while moonlighting.


The damage done by falling seems endless.  We are scared by terrorists, by shootings, and by purse snatchings (there is an epidemic of purse snatchings now where I live).  But perhaps we should be scared most of all by what we do in our everyday lives.

I started out Falling Friday in a hope to educate.  Lately, it seems it has become more of an occasion to mourn.

I may even be mourning the falls prevention class I attended (Stepping On)- I found out recently that their grant will run out sometime next year, and there may only be one more round of classes (in April, as many seniors prone to falling do not go out much in the winter).

So I will take a hiatus, and, perhaps, start this Friday series up in the New Year.

If you have enjoyed this series, what would you like to see in the New Year?