99 Red Balloons

I want this to be a carefully considered blip, although i'll accept that the picture isn't up to much,.

I want it to be respectful and not to be trading on other people's grief or to be seen making light of it.

Spent the morning at a child's funeral (in a professional capacity) and while all funerals are horrible,distressing tragic things at the best of times, its not always immediately obvious that there is a huge surreal aspect to them, and this is more heightened when you attend a child's funeral.

Often you hear well remembered children's TV themes being played out of context in draughty churche, bright cuddly toys mingling with the flowers,and despondent destroyed mourners in cheerfully coloured clothes.

Today was one of the most poignant beautiful,thoughtful funerals i have attended, as happy and colourful as it can be,with the surreal aspects evident but handled superbly.

We were met at the door by a full size Iggle Piggle from 'In the Night Garden'
who handed all the mourners balloon animals of different shapes and sizes,
at the end of the service we were all given helium balloons and invited to write a memory of the child on them before letting them go.

Iggle Piggle led a procession of sad faced mourners (all adults) clutching multi coloured balloons up a hill to a garden of remembrance, we passed a seperate group of mourners who had a small child with them, his face was a picture as a line of bright balloons followed Iggle Piggle.

I thought he was going to burst with shock and excitement, i bet he thinks all funerals are conducted by characters off children's tv, imagine how disappointed he will be tonight!!

After all reading a poem we all stood and watched as the balloons caught the wind and drifted upward and onward, higher and higher until they were out of sight.....gone, but not forgotten.

It was as perfect a scene as it sounds, and we were able to raise a smile as Iggle Piggle and his helper left us, dancing a la Morecambe and Wise as he went.

A little laughter and lots of tears, but as good as it ever could be.

and thats something,although i'm aware its never enough...