Better Late Than Never?

I know this sounds crazy, but a lot of people were sad looking at all the funeral overload last week on Ronald Reagan.

I loved it. I loved every minute I could catch of it. Because -- and I know this sounds strange -- I like funerals.

I like the chance they give families who've been apart to get together.

The chance for friends who became enemies, to become friends again.

Or political opponents, to become less strident.

The chance for petty grievances to be proven just that: petty.

Funerals, after all, are not for the dead. They're for the living. They are to console the living, to provide some context for the living and maybe some hope for the living.

Trust me, sudden, unexpected deaths are never welcome, or ever happy.

I never welcome anyone leaving this Earth. But I do welcome people coming together to remember that person when they did walk this Earth.

We all die. It's nice to know when we do, our friends, maybe even our enemies, will come together and remember us: Burying not only a body but maybe some petty disagreements as well.

Funerals offer a chance to do that. It's a pity we have to wait to die to see that.

But what's that expression: Better late than never?

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