Upon the age worn lane, the serpentine bleached out lane, the motorcade did wend. Rain-bound dandelions stood as mourners from end to end. The sky, all cried out, not a drop did spill. Rabbits and mice did shelter, ears lowered, eyes wide. Birds, head under wing, in their nests did rest. And, all that remained post-noon was a dance of wind-flickered shadows.
After the funeral would come the counselling, especially for the children, to reduce the effect of this most adverse of experiences. Death is tough and trauma effects on the young are so often overlooked, thus storing up issues that could be resolved by talk therapy.
The funeral was sweet sorrow, for in those moments of raw pain, when it feels as if the loving self screams in silent anguish, there are the memories of the good times that come as blossoming spring meadow.
Emotional counselling, a check-in before duty, to establish if the officer is capable of effective decision making that day - especially with respect to empathy and logic - could reduce the impact of emotional indifference and aggressions rooted in other forms of stress upon vulnerable communities. Far from Robocop or Judge Dredd, we need Emo-Cop, we need Dr Banner Cop, we need Black Widow Cop. Otherwise there will be more black and brown widows, more grieving mothers and fathers, more kids at the funeral of a sibling. These are the stitches in time that save "nine." We need people who are in good enough emotional health to make great choices in high pressure and fast moving situations. This process may further accelerate community healing and thus trust in the public institution of policing if (whenever possible) the officer and counsellor are of different racial backgrounds. Developing such bonds can positively impact both conscious choices and subconscious biases.
The funeral was, above all, a celebration of her life and accomplishments. Though of dry faces, there were none.
The good people that pass leave in us a part of their goodness, and in that they evermore live on. You can feel it at the funeral, that need to reach out and feel it once more, to have that memory keep our soul sparks burning bright.