Folks in a Parade

 

It is sometimes said that when one is dying, one's life passes by one's eyes in a flash. I recently had the experience of thinking I was dying, for about a week, with the Covid virus.  But my life, or at least the people of my life, passed by slowly, as if in a stately parade, often dressed as historical or mythological characters.  I thought it was the most, indeed the only, pleasant part of the experience, and that if I survived I might write a bit of a memoir of those folk.  

One of my favourite parts of the Book of Common Prayer is the Prayer for All Sorts and Conditions of Men.  Some of my gentle readers may not know it:

O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholick Church, that it may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.  Finally we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those, who are in any ways afflicted or distressed in mind, body, or estate; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities, giving them patience  under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake.  Amen.

I have in my lifetime certainly known all sorts and conditions of men, some of them in righteousness of life and some of them afflicted or distressed.  One sort of prayer is to remember people before God.  Indeed one of the  orthodox prayers for the deceased is 'eternal memory'.  So, I am remembering these people who have made my life a wonderful parade, with thanksgiving.