Reagan's Funeral

This morning was awesome. My own mother died just three months ago, and I am still in mourning over her death. And so every funeral/memorial service brings back fresh experiences of grief. Such was Ronald Reagan's funeral today.

I found myself weeping at Margaret Thatcher's majestic words, found here. I loved her inspired closing:

"For the final years of his life, Ronnie's mind was clouded by illness. That cloud has now lifted. He is himself again - more himself than at any time on this earth. For we may be sure that the Big Fella Upstairs never forgets those who remember Him. And as the last journey of this faithful pilgrim took him beyond the sunset, and as heaven's morning broke, I like to think - in the words of Bunyan - that `all the trumpets sounded on the other side'.

"We here still move in twilight. But we have one beacon to guide us that Ronald Reagan never had. We have his example. Let us give thanks today for a life that achieved so much for all of God's children."

I was also deeply moved by former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's tribute, found here. I especially liked his quotation from Yeats, "Think where man's glory most begins and ends and say — my glory was that I had such friends." Very moving. Very Capra-esque.

I was also moved by the words and the show of emotion from former President George Bush.

"Perhaps as important as anything, I learned a lot about humor, a lot about laughter. And, oh, how President Reagan loved a good story," Bush said during a eulogy for the man he followed as president.

The congregation laughed when Bush recalled then-President Reagan's response to how a meeting with South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu had gone: "So-so," Reagan deadpanned.

While Bush said he had learned much about humor from the late president, he also learned about kindness, courage and decency.

"I learned more from Ronald Reagan than from anyone I encountered in all my years of public life," said Bush, his voice cracking with emotion. "Politics can be cruel, uncivilized. Our friend was strong and gentle."

I was moved. I was touched. And the whole thing made me aspire to be a better man, husband, father, pastor, teacher, neighbor, referee, all of it. What better tribute to a man's life than to inspire others to aim higher?