Apparently the sheaves of wheat with lavender at funerals are symbolic of a long and fruitful life of devotion and grace. They honor the deceased who brought to the world sincere devotion to others. The sheaves also are presented at weddings in some cultures. I wonder when most people stopped the custom of having family funerals in their own homes and relied more instead upon funeral directors or churches to host services. These old obituaries are interesting to read. So many people now choose no funeral, no grave or marker for ashes, and in some cases no obituary. There’s something to be said for taking the time to acknowledge when we mortals come face to face with eternity.
I agree. One of the reasons I concentrate on the older obituaries for this newsletter is the writing. Same is true with newer gravestones which onlu have a name and a date.
Apparently the sheaves of wheat with lavender at funerals are symbolic of a long and fruitful life of devotion and grace. They honor the deceased who brought to the world sincere devotion to others. The sheaves also are presented at weddings in some cultures. I wonder when most people stopped the custom of having family funerals in their own homes and relied more instead upon funeral directors or churches to host services. These old obituaries are interesting to read. So many people now choose no funeral, no grave or marker for ashes, and in some cases no obituary. There’s something to be said for taking the time to acknowledge when we mortals come face to face with eternity.
I agree. One of the reasons I concentrate on the older obituaries for this newsletter is the writing. Same is true with newer gravestones which onlu have a name and a date.