So, a death in the family. Older person. I didn't go to the funeral, but I did get sent the memorial dvd (the one they were playing at the funeral home and all.)
Watched it; I was looking forward to it because I was told it was full of pictures going back 40-50 years. Not just of the dead guy either, but family get-togethers with all of us. Watching the slideshow there were a handful (maybe four or five) in the first 5 minutes or so. About 2 seconds of a photo, then a fadeout to a solid minute of a picture of a statue of Jesus with scriptures on half the screen. Repeat.
After the first few minutes of older pictures (which was the majority of his life), the pictures of the last 10 years started. That was pretty much the bulk of the slideshow (aside from the Good Shepherd shite); him sitting there in a nursing home with the woman he married, them at church together, etc. Less a memorial to his life than a memorial to the last few uneventful years he spent with her.
Hard to be annoyed with his wife; last few years, taking care of him has been her only occupation. The funeral was for her mostly I guess, and considering the efforts she put in, she deserved it.
But those pictures from the first few minutes really touched a nerve; there was one of a me and a stunningly beautiful girlfriend at a big reunion we all had, my brother and I looking so young that it took a second to realize who I was looking at. Happy times I had completely forgotten.
There are many more where that came from. Pictures from Tennessee, Florida, reunions, vacations, church events...all that stuff. Unfortunately they are all in the possession of another family member, a lunatic control freak, someone who sees these pictures as an emotional bargaining chip that only has value as long as they are the only one who has them. I am honestly a little surprised they even released a few of them for the funeral.
For twenty years now, myself and another family member have approached this individual, trying to get them to turn the pictures over so we can make digital copies for everyone to have. We have both explained the sentimental value they hold for all of us, and it seems it has only fueled this individual's tightfisted refusal to share.
May the flames of hell burn hotter when this petty, self-absorbed narcissist arrives. And I pray that her exit from this world is as agonizingly slow and painful as possible. Rotten assed bitch...
Love you people.
