An Old Man Who Danced at His Son's Funeral

At the funeral one old man opened a cane of Fanta and told everyone to take a sip. After a while he asked people around the funeral, ' I am looking for the best music so that I can dance, anyone with latest songs here?' People found his behaviours much unwelcome and not sympathetic to the situation. “It is very shocking to see someone not showing any sign of tears, we have come from far away in the capital city to mourn our beloved friend and coleague but this man has no respect for the funeral,”a gentleman from Lilongwe said to his friends who arrived with the body for burial the previous night. When time for announcements came it was discovered that the old man who behaved strangely was actually the father of the deceased man. He was given an opportunity to speak and he looked around then danced a little bit shaking his leg . People shook heads left and right and some sneezed with fury at what they saw. Some concluded the old man was a witch if not insane. The old man smiled and said, “I had four children and this one you are burying today is the last one for three of them died together in a car accident last year, but who am I to question God why I have lost my most precious assets, the children I had? This tragedy has taught me that in life cerebrations should not only be restricted to birthdays but I have learnt to celebrate the days, the years and the lives of my four children that are no more with me. Every year I take a long walk to the graveyards here and I say the following thanks to my God: Thank you God. You gave me children then took them away. To make me strong and understand life belongs to you. You gave me a family but when you realised I had enjoyed living with them , you decided to take them to where they need you most. This is because, you are training me , so I can help others understand that God’s family is best. When I asked for Wisdom, you gave me Problems to train me to be a problem solver. When I asked for happiness, you gave tragedies to train me to make others happy. For only those who have once cried understand the value of happiness.” The crowd shed tears except for the old man who told everyone, ‘You can cry and cry but my children and my family would be happy if you celebrate their lives than crying our loss.’ One man stood up and protested, ‘It’s part of our culture to cry and we expect you to shed tears.’ The old man danced above the graveyard and shouted, ‘tears are there not to moisten our cheeks but to remind us that there is something we can do to change our situation, in life those who cry persistently without a solution are the worst sufferers because they cannot handle it. I cried for one minute then I told my heart, I don’t want another heart attack which nearly killed me after I lost my nephew, today, I told my heart I will do the opposite, cerebrate their lives.” Eventually the whole crowd sang songs of joy cerebrating life and death of their beloved ones.