While perhaps not the most scintillating social gatherings to attend, memorial services can act as a catalyst to reinforce known ideologies, or to inspire thoughts about new or fresh ones. Cassy's much loved and respected long time principal, Cathy Funk, died recently after a lingering battle with cancer and her life was celebrated at a glittering service in the TAS auditorium on Saturday afternoon. The proceedings ended up being quite a fitting tribute to a demigod in the international school administrative ranks and a pleasant reminder of the great things she did for many people over the years, Cass included.
Speeches galore were the mainstay, all in the right spirit, delivered by articulate and clever professionals and all quite lengthy(!). People had flown in from all around the region and some from as far away as the U.S. and Austria. The auditorium was subtly lit, the stage beautifully prepared and the speech podium flanked by two enormous stands of lilies and other floral arrangements, a nod to Cathy's penchant for having fresh lilies in her office at all times. The service ended with a bang when very talented faculty members wrote and performed a song in her honour, a fun version of "Uptown Funk" cleverly wrought by Naden and friends.
We demurred on the delights of sharing anecdotes over the bain-maries next door as a lavish spread was prepared for the assembled throng, instead opting to whisk ourselves across the other side of the suburb to the always superb Spice Shop and our own quiet reflections. During the service there was video of Cathy giving an inspiring speech to the departing eighth graders at the American School in London just a year or so ago. In the speech she stated three wise tenets that had served her well and been pivotal in guiding her life and thoughts and actions. They were: 1. Expect the unexpected, 2. Don't be afraid to ask for help and 3. Live in the present. Obviously, they were shaped and highlighted more during her diagnosis and treatment, but sensible and good advice nonetheless for anyone at anytime. We talked about those things and ruminated whilst being grateful for all that we had in our lives.
We had a lazy Sunday, luxuriating in a late breakfast, doses of "Insiders" and "Offsiders" and decadent pottering around the aparment befitting a squally, unappealing grey day outside. It's been a delight to have Cassy back in situ and we're both psyching ourselves up for the final ten weeks of the year.
There is a paucity of photographic accompaniment this week as memorial services are not really the forum for multiple photo shoots and the restaurant afterwards was a place for reflection, and photos were forgotten. Cass is never keen to pose for photos at school, so the walking away, hand in the air shot was a sneaky one I included! There is one photo from the service and a shot from Uli's when Trev was here last week. I also got some groups in one of my classes today as a bit of filler: 14 year olds are not usually impressed with random photo takers!