emotional exhaustion

ok, so i went to the funeral of a fellow that we should have known better, given that we went to church together for so many years........and having listened to what his close friends and family had to say, we really missed out.....this was by far one of the most unusual funerals i have ever attended...for starts, it was in our home church...packed to capacity.....with a rotation of deaf interpretors.....for his wife taught at the deaf school, and his in-laws were both deaf...and they had many deaf friends.....they had an open mike at one point during the service, with each speaker interpreted by sign or by voice, so that everyone in attendence was included.....even the songs were interpreted...and gentle readers, there are some songs that are lovelier when watched than they are when heard.......lots of stories were shared......lots of laughs, and lots of tears.......and some feelings of pure joy......there are not many people for whom a rousing rendition of 'shout' seems appropriate, with 400 people clapping and waving of hands.......my church will never be the same....