In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, I found this quote which is reported to be from a king who was the richest and wisest of his time. My life has become twisted. This hasn't been this way always. For many years, life was great. We went along enjoying the things life was bringing. Everything seemed wonderful. Then at just the moment my children were to spring forward into adult life, everything took a turn. At this time of life when I expected them to be securing a future in college, they are squandering it as if life were without end. As though this time of their youth and vigor would be renewed endlessly. And all of this has added stress and care to every day and night. The worry comes from a deep concern that there is something I must do to work everything out. But when I heard this verse in church last Sunday, I felt its truth. Although I am finding it hard to put it into complete action, it is amazingly a fact. What has become twisted in these children's lives, I cannot straighten. Whatever they become, it will come out of the twistedness they have given themselves. And I should stop worrying so much before it kills me.
Effigies are used in grieving by providing a tangible representation of what has been lost, allowing a mourner to connect with who or what they've lost , which can help with the process of acceptance and emotional expression, particularly when the loss is sudden or traumatic; they can be used to focus grief and memories around a physical likeness, offering a sense of continued presence even in their absence