“Om mani padme hum” and a Memorial of a friend and round trip to Brisbane.

We wanted to go to a memorial service in Brisbane to celebrate the life of a good friend who died the week before. There was no funeral because he had donated to the university and research, the ultimate gift, ‘his body’. “As we search for meaning in death, we often find inner wisdom, compassion and understanding.”

At funerals and Memorials it is that we question our own mortality, we are all subject to the same equalizing standard when it comes to the mystery of fare- welling our bodies. Yet, we are still here and comparing that with the departed, we ought to make the best and value living well each day.

This memorial was special because the person was so kind and talented with a loving spirit and a brave fight against the suffering that led to his untimely death. We said goodbye, fare-welled this good friend, who we knew since birth, with the quiet and calm of our own minds. This good friend of ours decided he had enough and called it quits. It even surprised his case worker. It all went down-hill since the start of pot-smoking as a very young man. He was 41. Some two years ago we went to another funeral. He was 15 and died the same way, and…was a heavy user of pot already. Perhaps for many the use of pot is beneficial but for many it doesn’t work out so well. I tried it but it did not give me a wonderful trip or the promised ‘nirvana’. It tasted foul.

The service was held at a Buddhist Centre with a distinct Buddhist Tradition and involved readings of the teachings of Tibetan Lamas. Messages from friends and family were read out and there was a light lunch afterwards. We drove there and back as the logistics of getting from Bowral to airport all during the available time was tricky. We also felt that driving through the country side might give us time to accept this terrible event.

We are not sure, returning via the Pacific Highway, that the endless hoardings of “Pedro’s pies, Pot belly pies, Bushman’s sausages, Jillaroo’s Rump steaks and Fat oysters, with countless big bananas and ‘Golden Glow’ muff diving motels including one with a large orange fluorescent painted Uluru like fake rock” gave us the serenity that we craved.

Our friend is now free of pain and suffering, and at peace. We are left with the lasting memories of his talents and insights, his strength and inner wisdom that we have gained through our journey with him.  Goodbye, dear friend.

Om mani padme hum.