"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
She was a Christian. She knew that Jesus died for her and rose again as the verses said. She also knew that that was a promise to her, that she might physically die, but her soul is still very much alive! She, along with other believers, would stand on God's right side. I almost automatically looked up at the clear blue sky, thinking about this. My friend and I would sometimes sleep outside under the stars and talk about heaven and wonder at the awesomeness of God's stars and the ethereal night sky.
I made my way over to the refreshment table and poured myself some root beer. I could recall her grinning face as she would say, "This is the only beer I drink!" I wiped away a tear before it fell into my cold fizzing drink. She had planned her funeral so carefully, trying to make every detail perfect. She planned as a bride plans her wedding. My friend was not old enough to marry. She was 16 when she heard the news that shocked us all. She only had a month to live. She was strong though, first out of necessity, for her parents, and then, as she had confided in me, because she felt peace inside her.
I glanced across the clearing where some of my school friends were looking at scrapbooks. I knew what they were looking at; I had put them together with my friend. They contained baby pictures, school pictures, pictures of her mostly. We had had fun doing that, giggling over the cute baby pictures and the one of her in Grade two when she was missing her two front teeth. We reminded each other of funny memories we had, often exclaiming, "Do you remember that time when…"
People came and sat down on the folding chairs that had been set up facing the coffin, and now where the pastor was standing. We sang some songs a capella, accompanied by the sounds of nature around us. The pastor gave a short message, and all too soon it was over.
It was time. I watched as the coffin was closed, trying to get one last final look at her face, before I could not again. We drove over to the cemetery, it was small and quiet, peaceful. Ancient Oak trees stood around on the green hill by the lake. The sun shone on the water, making it sparkle like jewels. She was buried under one of the trees.
As I stood there, I remembered one of the last talks we had had. "I am not afraid, you know." She had said, "it will be as it says in the Bible, in 1Thessalonians 4. I will fall asleep. It will just be as if I have fallen asleep."
Her coffin was lowered into the ground. Her body, an empty shell, inside. I looked at the rose I had been clutching in my hand. The thorns had pieced my flesh a bit, because I was gripping the stem so hard. I dropped the flower on the coffin, waiting as it fell. Brushing my hand over my eyes, I turned and walked away.