Have you ever noticed how when a person passes away people tend to overlook or down right forget all the bad things they did? Suddenly they only recall the funny or amazing things about that individual even if they were real rascals.
I have a problem understanding this tradition.
Some have a superstition about saying anything negative about the dearly departed. I’m not sure what is supposed to happen to us, maybe the floor will swallow us up, we’ll burn in hell or they’ll come back and haunt us. I’m not sure, but my granny always said, “Don’t speak ill of the dead.”
I’ve always been one to question authority especially if it doesn’t make any sense. I’m not so rude as to highlight ol’ Elmer’s discretions but later on I’m not going to only mention the “good” things especially if he was mostly known for his tirades or misdeeds.
People want to only remember the good in others and have a tendency to talk about all the fun stuff and even laughing off the negative things like it was nothing.
“Ha-ha, you remember when cousin Larry used to get drunk and kick the dog? That was a hoot.”
No, it wasn’t a hoot it was awful and I personally can’t join in, in the fun of laughing off a tyrants errors just because the old coot is now dead.
Suddenly, because a person has passed on everything that used to drive us nuts or make us angry is now not such a big deal and even humorous.
I don’t think so.
Bad is bad whether the person is living or dead and I personally can’t overlook it. I don’t hold a grudge, I just don’t paint a different picture simply because a person is no longer living.
Call me cynical if you want, but that’s how I look at it. Oh and by the way, the floor hasn’t swallowed me up and I’ve yet to be haunted by anyone so it’s safe to say the truth; I’m living proof of it.
