I am so glad I came to Peter’s funeral. It was a gift, along with all the other gifts he gave to me. It was wonderful to see a little of his Frome life, drink coffee with Dominic in his favourite café, meet his wonderful friends in Frome, where I can indeed imagine that he was happier in his last days. Thank you all for sharing and being there. Thank you especially to Margaret and Rev. Graham for making Peter’s special farewell so special. He was not only there, he was really there.
Thank you to Graham also for pointing out the white doves on top of the church as we came out. At that point I moved forward to see. My last memory of Peter is this. As the coffin had been placed in the hearse and the back was closed, there was a perfectly framed reflection in its back window: the church façade against a blue sky and fleeting sunlight. The doves and pigeons took flight and seemed to encircle Peter, mingling their wings with the blue tits in their nest on top of his coffin (the blackbird was there too, although I saw him less clearly!).
I will hold that last memory of Peter in my heart, along with all the others – sad, joyous, beautiful, funny and poignant, just like him.