The whole "people you only see at funerals" concep

Page 1 of 1 [ 4 posts ] 

Daryl_Blonder
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Posts: 473
Location: Salem, CT

01 May 2011, 3:26 pm

Why is it that there are people in your life, oftentimes but not only members of your extended family, that only come out of the woodwork at funerals?

It’s like, they never bothered with the person while they were alive, what are they going to the funeral for? Is it some sort of guilt?

One of those bizarre human behaviors I'll never understand. :?

*************************************************************************************************

Check out my IMDB page!



Descartes
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Apr 2008
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 6,288
Location: Texas, unfortunately

01 May 2011, 3:53 pm

They may have met the deceased person/relative at some point in their lives, so they may feel obliged to attend out of respect.

I have some relatives from my dad's side of the family who I seldom see. That's because a lot of the people on my dad's side of the family live in rural areas of the state. I really only see them at funerals. They likely feel compelled to drive all the way down here to pay respects to the deceased relative, even though it's a relative they didn't see very often, and to visit other relatives they don't see very often.

Funerals are as much a "family reunion" as they are last respects to the deceased.


_________________
What fresh hell is this?


Last edited by Descartes on 01 May 2011, 5:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Janissy
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 May 2009
Age: 58
Gender: Female
Posts: 6,450
Location: x

01 May 2011, 4:26 pm

Daryl_Blonder wrote:
It’s like, they never bothered with the person while they were alive, what are they going to the funeral for? Is it some sort of guilt?
]


You don't know that. Just because someone isn't a part of your life doesn't mean they weren't a part of the life of the deceased. There are relationships that were established before you were born and that continue out of your earshot and eyesight. Also, wehn people become old, a decade can pass between the time (old) people see each other and it feels like no time at all. The time scale is different. But a young person perceives this passage of time as being very, very long.



CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Posts: 118,420
Location: In my little Olympic World of peace and love

01 May 2011, 4:27 pm

Because all of the people in that person's family want to pay their final respects. I do agree that families should get together when the person is still alive.


_________________
The Family Enigma