Went to a Wat in a neighboring village to attend a funeral.
I didn't know the lady, but my partner on the farm is also affiliated with AIA, a life insurance company, and she had to present the family the check.
I had been to a funeral in Issan before, so I basically knew what to expect. Or thought I did, anyway.
As soon as we arrived, I knew this one was 'different'.
My intentions were to capture this experience with photo's. But I only took one:
That is the building at the entrance to the Wat.
Once I walked past that, and into the main area, the atmosphere became more . . . somber, reflective of the occasion.
Out of respect, I put my phone away. This was not the time for me, a farang no one knew, to possibly offend/disrespect the family.
It rained about 10cm - 4in last night. Couple the humidity with the 38c - 100f temps, and the heat was stifling!
There was 9 Monks presiding (a symbol of the woman's standing), and even they were adjusting their robes to offer some relief from the heat!
I won't bore you with all the details. But something I hadn't seen before was the music.
A man played a Salo So (like a guitar) and was accompanied by a Pi So (a bamboo flute with multiple pipes). They played traditional Issan music, of course, and people joined them in dance. The choreography of the Issan dance can be quite involved, and something to enjoy.
None of us knows how many trips around the sun we will get. We hope it is many, and this lady lived a long life.
As the speakers talked about her (my partner translated), I was reminded that in the end, we are but memories left behind.
We can't delay the inevitable. We can only create those moments to be cherished today.
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Best Regards
Richard Taylor
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"The only limits you have are those you impose upon yourself. Remove the limits!
