What can we do? Things Happen!!

ASK A CELEBRANT BLOG: What did we do? from TCN Civil Funerl Celebrant Jan Woolrych

As we all know ‘things happen’ and we have no control of these things no matter how well we plan.  Yesterday on the M1 from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane there was an accident which caused the M1 to be closed/blocked/diverted for around 3 hours.  Hopefully those injured are on the mend.  Our thoughts are with them and their families.

I was to conduct a Funeral Ceremony at Mt Thompson Crematorium (south of Brisbane) at 1.00pm and was travelling to Brisbane with the Funeral Director when we were caught in the traffic snarl.

What can we do?  What did we do?

What can we do – nothing except go with the directions of the Police Officers at the scene and try to make the Ceremony in time.  This we did; we had plenty of time at this stage – 2 ¼ hours before the ceremony was due to start.  Don’t worry we will get there.  Well the traffic moved at snail pace and time move at the speed of light and the minutes rushed by and we became concerned when noon came and went!

What did we do – emailed a copy of the service from my home to the iPad I had in the car, then to the Funeral Director already at the Crematorium.  I love modern technology.J  The Funeral Director stepped up to the mark and took charge and began the service for me.  I might add that we were not the only people who were attending the service who were caught in this traffic.  One of the speakers returned back home.
We finally arrived at the service at 1.45pm in time to see the Family Tribute in pictures and to introduce the last reader, conduct the committal and introduce the signing of the coffin.

What a day – what could we do – something and nothing!  We had no control over the situation. We had arranged to allow 3 hours for a journey that normally would take 1hour 30 maximum.  We did what we could to give the family the service they expected and explained that the delay it was out of our hands.  The family were understanding.

The moral of this tale is ‘things happen’ and sometimes we have no control over them.

TCN Civil Funerl Celebrant Jan Woolrych

Note: Free image from www.freefoto.com