One Of Terry's Corners Of the Online World

On Monday I attended a memorial service for an old and true friend of mine, Karen "Womble" Warnock. There was a lot of family there and a few fannish types- Rose Mitchell, Bruce Gillespie, LynC, Bill Wright and Cath Ortlieb. Womble's husband Gerald was there of course. We've known each other, as Kinky Friedman once said, since Jesus was a cowboy and I felt a pang of guilt that I hadn't made more contact with them both in the past few years.

The service was the good kind, that celebrates a life rather than dwells on the morbid side of things. As Gerald read his part of the eulogy I was in awe of his guts and gravitas. Much was said of Womble's courage during her illnesses, but less about his. There's a phase change that happens to us all when the things we're most scared of, actually occur. In lesser and different ways, they had to me, and in the worst way possible, it had to Gerald. For all this, the mood was light. Stories of mutual friends were relayed (some astonishing ones in various ways) and jokes were told. (Rose shushed me at least once during the telling.) Gerald reminded me that I had taken him to the room party where he first met Womble - which I had totally forgotten. Odd how in a casual moment, I did something that started a trail of events that so bountifully enriched their lives. I don't doubt that they'd have met and got together anyway, but my minute contribution is one of the better things I've done thusfar in my life.

Here's what I've learned about mortality since Monday.
1) We all touch so many people's lives in a lifetime that it's important to make those contacts as positive at possible.
2) There's no use being scared of death. It's going to happen whether you are or not and if you want to be scared of anything, watch The Exorcist.
3) Loving and being loved by partners and friends is a fantastic adventure. Savour it.