[2022-09-19] Service and dignity

I started watching the Queen's funeral procession this morning, expecting that I would catch just a few minutes of the events. I had not been following the coverage before today, but found myself captivated by the images and stories I was taking in. Two words came to mind as I watched the proceedings: service and dignity. Throughout the coverage, I heard of the Queen's service, including her love of Canada, which she was said to have called "home" on more than one occasion. It was fitting that the slow procession of the state hearse carrying the Queen would feature so many people from various service roles: the military, law enforcement, healthcare, and the Queen's own staff. There was dignity in the orchestration: a respectful commemoration of the longest-serving British monarch and a widely admired woman.

Over the course of the hours I watched the procession of the Queen's casket from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace to the Wellington Arch and finally to Windsor Castle, I reflected on the appropriateness of this very public period of mourning. While it didn't feel like a celebration, it did feel like a reverent tribute to a woman who had served the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the world for 70 years.

Watching the Queen's funeral brought to mind recent personal losses: my dog, Freddie, and my brother, Greg. I imagine that many people who watched any portion of the Queen's memoriam thought of loved ones who had passed away. The ceremonies to honour the Queen reminded me of the importance of acknowledging the service our loved ones rendered in their lifetime and commemorating their life with dignity.

In her Christmas 2021 message, Queen Elizabeth referenced the difficulty of having lost her husband earlier that year. She wrote: "But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work—from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world." I, too, took solace in the many tributes to the Queen that I heard today, and in my own cherished memories of Greg and Freddie.