What A Physicist Would Say at Your Funeral: adapted from the original. Read at the scattering of Sue's ashes in Harris 21 August 2022
All the elements within this container were made in the crucibles of stars that spilled their guts into the universe as they died. Timeless matter, forming and reforming, and some, just some of those elements find their way in to us, assembling for a brief time our physical selves. You were made in such a way but you were so much more than a collection of atoms, you brightened our lives with your love, your creativity, your smile, your energy.
Everything obeys the fundamental laws of physics; energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it will continue on forever, changing only shape and form so, all the heat produced by your mortal form, every small breeze created from your movement and calorie burned within you is still here in the energy around us. It has been borrowed from the Universe around us, it will never go away
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We have absorbed some of your body heat, felt the breeze as you walked by, some of your energy has been absorbed and lives on within us. Every photon of light that reflected off your face, every breeze that blew through your hair, and the heat from every loving hug continues on.
You have changed the path of history in many ways. Your life, your shadow, your laugh, the good that you did, will forever change the universe, your very own butterfly effect.
Now, as we return your elemental form to the sand, sea and world let us remember this, not a bit of you is gone, you’re just less orderly.
Graham
10th October 2022
When I think of Sue, my sister-in-law, I remember her compassion, generosity, courage, and warm smile with twinkling eyes.
When I was driving through the torrential rain to Sheffield last Monday, I thought, this is Sue's weather. If there were a walk on the cards, she would be out there regardless. Then the sun shone in honour of Sue.
When, on the 2nd of September, I was gazing out of the window and thinking of Sue, a butterfly flew through the open window. It seems that our garden has been full of butterflies ever since that day. And that is how I will remember Sue.
Karen
3rd October 2021
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Graham
9th September 2021