As my sister and I walked behind my parents, she leaned over to me and sighed, “Why are we even here? We don’t know anyone and this dress is uncomfortable.” 

“Stop complaining.” 

I quickly glanced at my sister. I immediately felt guilty about my sharp response, but It was a rough morning for me, and it was unbearably hot outside. I woke up at 3:00 AM and got ready all morning for what would be an uncomfortably long car ride, in a suit one size too small, its seams pressing into my sides viciously.I was tired and I was agitated but there was no room for those emotions now. I took a drink of water and followed behind my mom.

I entered the chapel and could immediately hear the somber noises:[3] the sobbing, the organ playing, the choir. Everything perfectly set the tone of this event. I had never met my great uncle, but many distant relatives loved him dearly so my family had come to offer support. [6]

I walked around greeting my family members. First came my aunt and uncle. I shook my uncle's hand and hugged my aunt, who showed signs of previous tears falling. My uncle had a lapel on his jacket, a sign that he was a pallbearer.

“Hi Joseph. How are you”

“I'm fine, how are you?” 

“I'm fine as well, thank you.”

The traditional back and forth of seeing my extended family felt even more hollow than usual, our whispering voices preventing them from echoing throughout the chapel. We continued down the aisle (Hi how are you?) until we got to the third row from the front. I took my seat, wedged tightly between my dad and sister. Being already sleep deprived wasn’t helping me navigate the funereal atmosphere but I managed to keep myself awake for the first hymn. I stood up with the rest of the audience, reading the words off the screen, chanting them like a cult performing a ritual. [6] After a short prayer we sat back down and the only thing on my mind was sleep. I shifted in my seat to keep myself awake. 

As the funeral continued, I listened to the eulogies. They told of the exciting life of my great uncle: He went to school and enjoyed playing games with his friends, games that would sometimes leave him injured, earning a scolding from his mom; He would study medicine, rising to the front of his class and earning the family’s first job in the US as a doctor; He would go to his church and pray with my uncles and aunts and when they finished he would help organize food drives or other charity functions at the church. As slideshows showed light-hearted images that brought back pleasant memories, and stories brought out some laughter in the crowd, the sun began to rise, flooding the chapel with light through the stained glass windows. The light hit my eyes and I realized they weren’t tired anymore. I glanced at my sister who was also listening deeply to the stories. One of my uncles told another joke at the podium and I laughed.

After the service was over people lined up to pay respects at the casket and the pallbearers went to get their gloves. When my mom was ready, my family and I walked back to our car, my sister skipping in her dress. I got in the backseat and rested against the window. I thought about how great it would have been to meet my uncle as my eyes began to close.