A Southern Family Funeral

by Nicole Seitz, author of A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass

I just got back from a family funeral in North Carolina. I'm a bit speechless today but maybe the words will come...

Men in black morning has broken holy, holy, holy, photographs of my grandmother propped up in the church foyer shaking hands hugging relatives puffy eyes salty tears waterproof mascara children in Easter finest smiles on faces casket in front covered in red roses she has gone on to be in the presence of the Lord crying crying children staring wondering why the sudden severity.

Sun is shining azaleas blooming sky so blue drive to the cemetery windy roads flat stones green tent children running wind blowing seats for the weary a final goodbye.

Relatives with years between us catered lunch macaroni and cheese sweet tea banana pudding round tables decaf coffee Styrofoam cups my grandmother's stuffed animals up for grabs the children are happy swing from a tree by the river cool breezes love these people pieces of me been too long table of photos and letters we've never seen eyes mesmerized wasn't she beautiful?

A virtuous woman pillar of our family Godly woman gone to heaven

we remain

remember her pretty smile

mashed eggs vegetable soup firm warnings fervent prayers

day is done no more sickness

gone first class to be with Jesus

listen.

she's calling us home.

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Nicole Seitz is the author of three novels published by Thomas Nelson: A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water (chosen as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Library Journal), and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. She writes tales that weave together life and death, visible and invisible, heaven and earth and everything inbetween. She also paints the covers of her novels.

Nicole's latest book, A Hundred Years of Happiness, releases in Large Print Hardcover this week from Center Point. Booklist calls it: "A heartbreaking tale that sheds light on love, friendship, and faith powerful enough to endure the atrocities of war." Fresh Fiction says: "This will be a beautiful story remembered for years to come. "

Now how 'bout, be sweet and go buy someone you love a copy?

Nicole lives in the Charleston, SC area with her husband and two children and is busy working on her next book.