I said to someone recently that this death thing was getting tiresome. This Saturday I will be attending my 8th funeral or memorial service so far this year. I can't remember how many of them I have led. And it barely the middle of April. I think what makes this year particularly difficult is that I have known the vast majority of those we have laid to rest. They have either been neighbours, or relations of neighbours or people I have worked with. The memorial service on Saturday is for a member of the Bluewater Chaplaincy team. Previous to this the last proper funeral I attended was for the husband of one the Bluewater Chaplains. Only one of the funerals/memorial services have been for strangers, though inevitably there is a bond formed with the family members in the preparation. It has become very hard to find the joy in anything at the moment. I'm thinking how can I be happy when those are around me are sporting the wounds of grief? Personally I think that sort of thinking ...