The hungry ghosts

I went to my friends fathers funeral yesterday. A sweet man loved by his family. Many tears. A long life so no went too young. But you learn that makes no difference to the grief. All the ghosts gather around at funerals all the people you have lost. It was a religious service as he was religious but I don't believe much of that. 

I was reading a story about Japan  after the tsunami how people would see the dead and even talk to them. There are ceremonies to free the hungry ghosts. I guess that's what our funerals are for, to say to the spirit you are free. To say to the still living this person has gone and to acknowledge that. There's been years through where I've lived with the dead, when my mother and father died. I look in the mirror   and see my mothers face, it's disturbing. But I guess if you are going to get through ageing with some joy and happiness you do have to farewell the dead as they are mounting up and look ahead and concern yourself with the living. A lesson I find difficult. My friend would say about her father he would have a friend they'd die and he would go and make another friend. I'll miss him. Now I'm teary again. Here's his cheeky smile, big kid at heart.