Writer
Potts Pages - Goldfish Funeral
August 25, 2015
Have you ever attended a goldfish funeral? I have. Not only did I attend, but I also conducted the funeral for Sunny Potts, my six year old’s pet. Sunny was with us for a year and had outlived his swimming buddy by several months. When Sunny passed, of course, my daughter wanted a funeral.
So, we had a funeral, conducted, with all the seriousness, we could muster. We put Sunny in a box and had a viewing. We read the scripture in Genesis that tells how God created the fish in the sea. We sang “Jesus loves the little fishes all the fishes of the world.” We told Sunny we would miss him and laid him to rest in our backyard cemetery. No, there was no burial at sea for Sunny.
Now if you are not a parent, you may think this was silly. It would be easy to say, “It was just a goldfish. It wasn’t a dog or cat. How important can a goldfish be?” The answer to that question is that it depends on to whom you are talking. To us, Sunny may have been just a goldfish but to my daughter he was a much loved, pet, who had brought her hours of joy. It was vital to her that we treated his passing with dignity.
I conducted the funeral because I knew my daughter well enough to know this was what she needed. But what about others? How do we respond to them? Do we ever trivialize what others find important? Have you ever have a friend confide in you about a situation in his or her life, only to find yourself wanting to say, “Get over it, it’s only a goldfish?”
What seems like a goldfish to you may be someone else’s hearts treasure. Sometimes, all people need is just to know that someone is walking with them through a hard time in their life. If you have been on the reverse side of this situation, you know how much it hurts for someone to make light of something that is important to you. You just wanted them to acknowledge that they understood and that what mattered to you mattered to them.
So for my writer and non-writer friends this week, my challenge is to choose your words carefully. They have the power to hurt or heal. Be sensitive to others needs and if necessary attend a goldfish funeral.
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18) (NIV)
So, we had a funeral, conducted, with all the seriousness, we could muster. We put Sunny in a box and had a viewing. We read the scripture in Genesis that tells how God created the fish in the sea. We sang “Jesus loves the little fishes all the fishes of the world.” We told Sunny we would miss him and laid him to rest in our backyard cemetery. No, there was no burial at sea for Sunny.
Now if you are not a parent, you may think this was silly. It would be easy to say, “It was just a goldfish. It wasn’t a dog or cat. How important can a goldfish be?” The answer to that question is that it depends on to whom you are talking. To us, Sunny may have been just a goldfish but to my daughter he was a much loved, pet, who had brought her hours of joy. It was vital to her that we treated his passing with dignity.
I conducted the funeral because I knew my daughter well enough to know this was what she needed. But what about others? How do we respond to them? Do we ever trivialize what others find important? Have you ever have a friend confide in you about a situation in his or her life, only to find yourself wanting to say, “Get over it, it’s only a goldfish?”
What seems like a goldfish to you may be someone else’s hearts treasure. Sometimes, all people need is just to know that someone is walking with them through a hard time in their life. If you have been on the reverse side of this situation, you know how much it hurts for someone to make light of something that is important to you. You just wanted them to acknowledge that they understood and that what mattered to you mattered to them.
So for my writer and non-writer friends this week, my challenge is to choose your words carefully. They have the power to hurt or heal. Be sensitive to others needs and if necessary attend a goldfish funeral.
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18) (NIV)
Sue
|
Post a Comment
Posted on: August 25, 2015
Wise words, Sue. Thanks for sharing them with us. :)
Posted on: August 25, 2015
Love this message! Being there for others is how we represent Christ to them. He knows the very hairs on our heads- which shows us that he cares about ’the goldfish’ in our lives.
Posted on: August 25, 2015
You hit it right on the spot. I did this for my kids as they were growing up. I have 2 pet rats and just last weekend my nephew came to visit from Florida and I had a pet fish of his in my tank and he passed. I conducted the funeral for him in the yard and we all went along with him to say a prayer. He was sad up unto the point it was all over and his mind was clear and not sad anymore. It’s the little things in life that mean so much to a person that which may be silly to another , but like you said in your post "all people need to know is that someone is walking with them" through good times and bad times. Don’t have regrets of the simple things in life you didn’t do. Take the time to show someone you care. I rather have a single rose by you today, than a dozen when I&r