A Wake.

So, I went to my first pentacostal wake this Tuesday passed for my dear friends Nana. Now, I was raised Roman Catholic, but I live as a Pagan with Buddhist tendencies. I always respect & appreciate the differences between people- especially any traditional ceremony. I have fortunately only been to a small number of wakes in my life thus far... they had all been Catholic so I just assumed that all wakes were incredibly somber with the occasional wailing Italian. At this wake, however I learned otherwise. It began the same way any wake would, the body laid out so we could pay our last respects, everywhere there's flowers & people talking softly. The pastor announced the service was to begin & I took my seat. Then I saw my friend's brother with guitar in hand seat himself beside his Nana. He began to play & the whole room began to sing. They sang songs celebrating the life & sacrifice of Jesus. Though I don't practice Christianity- I found the idea of honoring the dead with song touching.