A lesson from the garden

As the weather continues to warm, volunteers are popping up in my flower beds. Seeds from last year's four o'clocks, morning glories, cosmos and hyacinth beans are starting to sprout and flower.

It's fun to see who chooses to return and what form they take. The offspring of purchased seeds often return to their heritage. New (to me) colors and sizes appear as plants arise from the seeds of previous generations.

Of course, there are other plants popping up that have to be removed from the bed. While they may have lovely flowers and beautiful foliage, they do not share space with others. They want to take over every square inch of soil. This will not do.

Isn't that the way life happens? The results of things we've done in the past and have forgotten suddenly pop up and surprise us. Sometimes the experience is pleasant, other times not so.

I'm reminded to be careful what I "plant" in my life and to remember to "weed out" stuff (physical and emotional) that might inhibit the growth of the things I want to nurture in my life.

Online funeral

After I went to a funeral last month, it occurred to me that it would be a great service if funerals could be viewed online.

Evidently there are funeral directors in Ireland that think it's a good idea, too! http://http://www.sclarkeandson.co.uk/

They have been offering this sevice for a couple of years. Family members around the world have the opportunity to view streaming audio and video of a loved one's funeral. Special software and a password are required, so access is limited.

I think this is a wonderful idea because it could allow more loved ones and family members to have the funeral service available as part of their grieving process. (Not to mention the convenience of having different venues in case there are those who would not want to be in the same room.)