Journal, Day 1550

Sunday, 16 June 2024

Ukraine War: Day 845

Hamas-Israel War: Day 252

Mass shootings in the USA in 2024: 227

Father’s Day 2024

I have never been to a Buddhist memorial service before. This morning we attended a gathering for my husband’s friend and colleague, David Kwang Oh, who passed away from a cardiac event on May 29th at the heartbreakingly young age of 48. It was beautiful, and I was unexpectedly quite moved by the service and the immense dignity and light of David’s family.

His lovely 15-year-old daughter very eloquently delivered a heartfelt and very positive eulogy (for lack of a better word.) She was bright and smiling and obviously loved her father deeply. She did not weep. She left us with her thoughts that she would meet up with him again when her time comes, so she can “catch him up on all the family gossip.”

After proper Buddhist rituals of the offering of incense and chanted prayers (which I found very soothing), a last prayer and gong signaled the end of the service.

David’s family greeted everyone on the way out to thank us for coming. David’s wife and daughter recognized my husband by name, despite the fact they had never met (he had mixed feelings about this). I told David’s daughter that she carries her father’s bright light and he would be very proud. She was shining and beautiful, as was his wife and his mother.

It was a celebration of a very beloved and dedicated father, son, brother, and husband — and it was a strangely appropriate way to celebrate Father’s Day. Both my husband and have I lost our own fathers; mine in 1992 and his in 2016. We honored them by honoring David and his lovely family.