Brian - the 3rd and final part (for the time being)

Brian's funeral was last Sunday, near Carndonagh in Donegal. It's a long story, but the good part is that I met his brother Bill, his friend Ivan and one of Brian's clients (incidentally also called Mark). All three confirmed to me that Brian had professed faith as a young man and took part in many beach missions and open air witnessing in his younger life. I had prayed that morning for some sort of confirmation of Brian's faith, and I got it three times over.

I was one of the four men who carried his coffin from the church and lowered him into the grave, watching the brass nameplate on the coffin lid getting ever smaller as it descended to the bottom. On the nameplate was the quote "I'm just a pilgrim on this road" - a quote from the beautiful Steve Earle song "Pilgrim" from his magnificent bluegrass album The Mountain.

Through the ten years of friendship I shared with Brian, I never once considered that I'd be one of the people to put him into the ground.

I wonder who will lower me into the earth when my time is done?

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"...ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away..." James 4 v 14

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UPDATE - BBC Radio Five Live interview with Brian back in June, from his hospital bed, here

Here are the words for the Steve Earle song "Pilgrim":

I'm just a pilgrim on this road, boys
I'm just a pilgrim on this road, boys
I'm just a pilgrim on this road, boys
This ain't never been my home

Sometimes the road was rocky ‘long the way, boys
Sometimes the road was rocky ‘long the way, boys
Sometimes the road was rocky ‘long the way, boys
But I was never travelin' alone

We'll meet again on some bright highway
Songs to sing and tales to tell
But I'm just a pilgrim on this road, boys
Until I see you fare thee well

Ain't no need to cry for me, boys
Ain't no need to cry for me, boys
Ain't no need to cry for me, boys
Somewhere down the road you'll understand

‘Cause I expect to touch His hand, boys
‘Cause I expect to touch His hand, boys
‘Cause I expect to touch His hand, boys
I'll put a word in for you if I can

We'll meet again on some bright highway
Songs to sing and tales to tell
But I'm just a pilgrim on this road, boys
Until I see you fare thee well