Page 81 - THE ENDLESS WAVE | Skateboarding, Death & Spirituality

THE ENDLESS WAVE | PART ONE
Grief
Grief. It’s such a small word and yet it is truly mighty. Four letters have the power to absolutely destroy people and leave them shattered. I see grief daily at my work. I see it up close and very personal. This chapter is about grief and it’s probably the most difficult one I’ve written. I am not going to regurgitate a whole bunch of stuff you can find on the internet about grief. Grief is a very personal thing and we all grieve in many different ways.
During a funeral, when a family requests an ID (identification) at the casket, we open up the back door of the coach so the family can see the deceased’s face one last time. One of my coworkers will slowly move the casket forward and gently lift the lid. I will stand to the side and carefully open up an um- brella, ensuring the family has privacy. It is during these moments that I wit- ness some of the most intense outpourings of grief.
Some people are stoic. They look at their dead relative or friend and keep a stiff upper lip. I am intimately aware of this type of grief. Born and raised for my first 7 years in Great Britain, the British are famous for their stiff upper lips and for keeping their emotions in check. Public displays of grief and affection are part of a society that is truly woven into my mind. I sense (and would hope) that things are a bit different almost five decades after my departure. But then again, there are many individuals who never wish to show their emo- tions in public.
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