Anne [and I, and some of those in attendance] are/were Essenes. We began with the Essene prologue:
“Let us enter the eternal and infinite Garden of Mystery, our Spirits in Oneness with the Heavenly Father; our bodies in Oneness with the Heavenly Mother; and our hearts and minds in Oneness with each other and with all of creation.”
Then I just about managed to get through five minutes about my life with Anne [see below]. 5 years wouldn’t be enough, but we will have a go at her 'story' on the celebration day on September 20th.
Spiritualist medium Jonathan Brown who expertly conducted the service, then read out the Cathar prophesy of 1244 CE, the ‘Church of Love.’
Priceless friend Rick Banbury [who also had liaised with the undertakers, set up the room, organised the flowers and kept the day together] delivered the Aramaic version of the Lord’s prayer [too many versions to give a link here], quickly followed by him leading a communal singing of ‘Amazing Grace.’ Cue tissues.
Before the day, Anne had given her approval to the proceedings, said the day would ‘go without a hitch’, and of course, it did.
Jonathan said some closing words, I said the Diana prayer, pausing to compose myself after every line, and we followed Anne’s ‘earthly vehicle’ out of the chapel [‘May it Be’ by Enya playing] to the hearse. Everyone did the equivalent of throwing soil into a grave by throwing a pinch of salt on to the coffin.
Farewell my lovely, our love will live on for ever.
Jack.
The e-mail that follows came though from Sue de Val on September 3rd.
"I feel I must tell you that last week, I had probably the worst gallstone attack I had had. I was doubled up in agony on the bed, thinking I needed to phone 999 if it got any worse. i couldn't breathe or move to phone even if i wanted to do so. the next thing Anne came to me & said the pain will be gone in a minute, i went warm all over & within less than a min all the pain had gone. the pain has never just gone off instantly. i know it was her beautiful soul, still healing from her new home. i also feel that anne wants me to tell you this. am sending much love to you and the family."