Our grief is a holy thing. It is that proof that another life touched ours in a profound way. It is the mark of love, the mark of connection, and the mark of a life well lived.

We will mourn, we will cry, we will miss (Name). Time will move on and we may not hurt like we hurt now, but then a thought or a bit of music or a smell, will remind us of (him/her/them) and it will all come back. Those moments, too, are holy: they’re reminders of that connection that will never fully go away. It’s important to hold on to that connection, because it is through those memories that (Name) stays with us. In our memories of (him/her/them), that love and connection stay alive, and with it, a part of (Name).

We shared some of those memories today. Hold on to those memories, tell the stories that make you smile, the stories that make you laugh, share the memories with people who knew (him/her/them) and people who didn’t. May they remind you of the beauty of (Name’s) life, of (his/her/their) passion and (his/her/their) connection to us. And may it bring you peace on this day. Amen.