(Letter to the Editor - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

You may not agree with what I have to say today but think about it before you decide. We have had a death in the family and many will send flowers for the funeral. I’m not against sending flowers. It’s just sometimes families need or request other things; like donating to the deceased’s favorite charity or perhaps they passed from some illness that has a place you can donate for research. Remember the old time tradition of taking a covered dish when the closest relatives would be host to out of town family?

And for me, I’d like my flowers now while I can appreciate them. For Mother’s Day my son and daughter-in-law got me a beautiful planter with three kinds of flowers. One of the three is still blooming today. I’ve invited ladies for lunch a couple of times, requesting they only bring their own drink if they prefer sugar free. Here some of them came with live flowers for me to enjoy and decorate my porch. All summer they were reminders of the day they came to visit and how I have such caring friends.

Since covid a lot of people are skipping the funeral all together and going with a celebration of life instead. Well, I sort of took care of that a while back. We made our arrangements before all the covid changes but I’m open to whatever the family prefers. When I was ill about a year and a half ago, I asked some of my friends to write down how they would describe me, not meaning short with white hair, but how they would describe my manner or what I mean to them. I received a few very nice, heart-filled letters. My thoughts were, first; I could find out if I had been as good for them as they had been for me and second; if they needed something to say about me at my funeral or celebration of life it would already be in writing. I wouldn’t mind having a few more for my file folder. I even have included a poem my little sister wrote about me when she was in school that our mother had saved since 1978. I have mentioned some of this before. I thought I’d tie it all together this time though.

When it is your time, make sure you have made things right with the One in charge. Then try to plan ahead to make things as easy as possible for the ones left behind. When do you want your flowers?

Because of losing people around me, I’ve said enough and maybe too much on this sad subject. So next time I will make sure to entertain you with a much more pleasant letter. I need something positive to close with. I know! Send flowers or a flowery card to someone you care about. You might get to enjoy a big smile from them in return.

Take care until next time.

My love to you,

Bonita (Bonnie) Eaton

Vienna