EULOGIES; Forever in Our Memories By Aimee Teplitskiy

 

Aimee Teplitskiy

    Earlier this year, my friend’s mother died. Needless to say, it was absolutely devastating. I remember being in a state of complete shock when I heard that the healthy, happy woman, whom I had seen just a couple of weeks ago, had just died. For my friend, it was understandably even worse. I remember going with another girl to visit her before the funeral. We did not know what to say in such a situation, so we did our best to just carry some light conversation. Though she seemed to appreciate our efforts, my friend was very withdrawn and distracted. When she did speak, she would talk about her mother and how she was so angry with herself for crying the last time her mother saw her. I eventually asked her about a wooden toy she had on her shelf as an attempt to keep her engaged and distracted, and her demeanor changed completely. She told us it was a toy her mother had since she was a child, and then began to talk about all the happy memories she had with her mother. After talking about all the good times they had, my friend became much happier than I had seen her in a while. After leaving her house, I could not stop thinking about how despite all our efforts to cheer her up, the only thing that helped my friend was thinking about her mother.

The play Eulogies, by Amanda Feliciano, addresses how the living cope with the loss of loved ones. It deals with the way in which the memories we have of the dead allow us to be happy in the face of our loss. One thing I found particularly interesting about this play was the question it poses: “How can the dead help the living?”

At first I considered the possibility that perhaps this was a “trick question,” that the whole idea was that the dead cannot help the living. But after much consideration, I came to a different conclusion. The dead help the living by having experienced as much as they could throughout their lifetime. Abraham Lincoln once said that “in the end, it is not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years.” My friend’s mother lived an unjustly short life, but it was a life that was full of happiness and experiences. She is one of the only people whom I can honestly say lived her life to the fullest, and that is why remembering all the wonderful experiences in her life was the only thing that could make my friend happy in her time of mourning.

Eulogies expresses the same idea that what we do in life will later bring comfort to our loved ones. Collin Forbes, a young man who died an untimely death, listens to his loved ones speak at his funeral, and through their speeches begins to understand that though he cannot help them through their grief physically, the memories he made with them will bring them comfort and joy.

This play had a way of really connecting with me and my personal experiences, and allowed me to view my past experiences in a completely new light. It gave me a deeper understanding of the significance of our relationships with others, as well as a greater appreciation for all the beautiful, small moments I share with the people around me.

I think it is important to recognize just how significant the memories we make with people are, no matter how small the memories are. Whether it be a crazy night at college, or a friendship forged in third grade, these memories are the deepest bond you have with the people around you. This is a bond that will never be broken, and will continue to spark love, hope, and happiness in you and your loved ones forever.

Eulogies will be performing in the Strawberry One-Act Festival on July 16 (Saturday) at 3pm, July 18 (Monday) at 9pm, and July 25 (Monday) at 9pm, at the Theatre at St. Clement’s, 423 West 46^th Street, NYC

EULOGIES by Amanda Feliciano

What happens at a funeral, stays at a funeral.

Saturday, July 16th at 3pm

Monday, July 18th at 9pm & Monday, July 25th at 9pm
For tickets go to https://www.therianttheatre.com/item.php?id=266