Last night we got the tragic news of your passing, dear cousin.
I, who hardly made the effort to keep in touch with you
Continue to see your face, hear  your voice
And imagine your last, painful and very scary moments.
I can’t image how it must be for those closer to you.
You were always kind and generous to me
And I’m grateful to have known you.
You’ve lived a full life
And I hope that all your efforts to bring
Peace, comfort and laughter to others
Brought you some measure of peace and comfort too.
You had your quirks (don’t we all?)
Yet you were so much more than your quirks
You were a caring daughter
A most involved mother
A good doctor
A dedicated employee
An upstanding member of your community
A good and loyal friend
And a loving cousin.
In the ever loving arms of the Father
May you find
Much more comfort
Constant peace
Plenty of laughter and
So much more love
Than you’ve ever experienced.
Rest in peace, dear cousin.
In the words of that beautiful prayer said at funerals:
May the angels lead you to Paradise;
May the martyrs come to welcome you
and lead you to the holy city,
the new and eternal Jerusalem.
(This is written in response to the news of a cousins death and linked to Kate Motaung’s Five Minute Friday)