A few kind words in parting

[Mnemosyne]

Like any subcreator, I'd have to go with the scene from "Leaf by Niggle" when the protagonist finds his own life's work perfected and in the flesh. Gives me goosebumps every time.

Bilbo's Last Song would come in as a close second, though.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

"In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! We are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory."

Since I have expressly stated that I want no funeral, it's academic, but that's what I'd pick.

[LadyBrooke]

There's so many good quotes:

From LotR:

"You cannot be always torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do."

"And that will keep you as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part of the Story goes on."

"Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."

"And the ship went out into the High Sea and passed on into the West, until at last on a night of rain Frodo smelled a sweet fragrance on the air and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise."

There are a lot of good one in the Silmarillion, too but I would feel odd using them. They're all rather Kingly.

Off Topic: alatar, when I first saw the title I nearly feel off of my seat. I thought it meant you were leaving the Barrow-Downs.

[Tuor in Gondolin]

[Sam] "Don't the great tales never end?"
"No, they never end as tales," said Frodo. "But the people
in them come, and go when their part's ended. "

Rather positive in tone, in essence, rather like
Aragorn's dying comments to Arwen. Which makes all
the odder Arwen's depression over Aragorn's dying
(given the precedents of Luthien/Beren and Tuor/Idril).
She should have recalled her family history.

[Morthoron]

Ummm...Al, you're not planning on kicking the bucket anytime soon, are you?

[Boromir88]

Three people to recite Boromir's lament. Surpised?

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

"O Lórien! Too long I have dwelt upon this Hither Shore
And in a fading crown have twined the golden elanor.
But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me,
What ship would bear me ever back across so wide a Sea?"

Possibly a bit more of the same song.

[alatar]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will post my quotes sometime soon when my books and I occupy the same time and space.

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Ummm...Al, you're not planning on kicking the bucket anytime soon, are you?

I can't even find a bucket, let alone kick one.

Anyway, what got me started on this thinking was a funeral I attended recently. The religious leader, presiding over one part of the ordeal, spoke a bunch of words that I found neither inspiring or coherent (and add theological to the list, but that could just be me). I just thought that, when my time came, I could have something ready that would be better, more fitting, and have more to say about who I was.

Which is another issue. When my father passed, his minister presided and spoke, and as I listened, I realized that the guy didn't know my father. Sure, he used the right name, and even made passing mention to the caveat that my father hadn't been much into churchin', but from that he extrapolated a whole lot.

And sure, my father was dead, so what did he care? This was more for his wife, as this is what she wanted/needed/requested.

I found my father's brief military funeral more moving, as I knew that he would have liked it.

So, instead of leaving my last scene to someone else, I just thought that I'd prepare some of the script now.

And who *couldn't* do with a good dosing of Tolkien?

[LadyBrooke]

Oh I'm sure around here if I had Tolkien read at my funeral people would be calling me a Satanist or something. Can't wait to move away from here.