Swimming Against A Tide: An Impossible Task
( An Inquiry)
There are many practices that each generation creates and leaves behind to be inherited by successive generations!
From the traditional to the modern times, there has been as it were a template for writing official letters.
When I served as an administrator in a state-owned company I encountered this pattern, any attempt I made to reform it was met with rebuke and reprimand from my immediate supervisor!
Tradition die hard is a true statement!
I have been reading on funeral posters the expression “ all friends and sympathisers are cordially invited “. The question is, are “friends and sympathisers “ not the same people? Therefore one word “ sympathisers” is enough to describe them!
Should it not rather read “ family and sympathisers “ are cordially invited ? Since these groups are distinct; if you are not a “family” you are a sympathiser!
So, the invitation is to the generality, family and general public. But to say “ friends and sympathisers “ is problematic ! Friends and sympathisers are the same people; a sympathiser is a friend.
My observation from reading most of the “template” captions displayed on funeral posters indicates a not well-thought-out design. Home Call! Call To Glory! Etc
In my humble view, perhaps invitational statements should read “ family, empathisers and sympathisers “ are cordially invited.
These are 3 distinctive groups, the family on one side, the general public that attends is in two groups “empathisers” and “sympathisers” these are not the same. Empathisers stay longer and make tangible, quality contributions than sympathisers
Sympathisers are also in three (4) groups, those who leave immediately the body is lifted from the funeral ground ( church) to the cemetery.
(2) The other group accompanies the body to the cemetery, but stays at the entrance ( car park) waiting for those who go to bury.
The (3) group are those who will not attend both the church service and the burial ceremonies but show up at the refreshment ceremony
And the final group (4) are those who will not attend any of the above three functions but show up only at the Sunday Thanksgiving service!
The worst group (5) of sympathizers are the “ condolences “ group. These are those who are quick to send condolences but will not show up at any of the above events.
It is only the “ family and empathisers” who stay through all the stages mentioned above.
Now you’ve seen the error contained in the template! Each of us belongs to one of the family, empathisers and sympathizers groups!
Truth is what you’ve just read. Where do you belong? Read it again!
My take
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