Helium balloons are a bad way to grieve someone's death

Yesterday my wife and I went on our usual late afternoon dog walk. Meandering along a trail here in rural south Salem, Oregon, I spotted something unusual about twenty feet away. 

Walking over to it, I realized it was a deflated helium balloon. Here's what was written on it. (Hard to tell whether the words came from one person, or several people.)

Dear Grandma, I really wish you were here. I love you so much. Thank you so much for having your kids. They are a blessing. I love them so much.

I wish you were here. See you in heaven, someday soon. Have fun in heaven, Grandma. I love you so much.

Leaving aside the sentiments, it's a really bad idea to set loose a helium balloon for any reason. They litter the landscape. They can be harmful to animals. And helium is a rare element that is needed for reasons other than sending a message to a dead woman. 

I understand why people want to engage in some sort of ceremony after a loved one has died.

Whoever wrote on this ballon obviously was religious. But why would someone think that Grandma was better able to read words written with a sharpie on a balloon, than to tune into a relative's thought?

I've talked to my mother after she died. I didn't believe she could hear me, yet it felt good to speak to her as if she was still alive.

I never had the slightest inclination to write to her, though, especially not on a balloon. 

So Christians, or any other religiously-minded group, should ponder the absurdity of believing that someone who supposedly is in heaven needs to be communicated with via decidedly materialistic means. 

If you believe in the supernatural, shouldn't it be possible for a deceased person to use a divine means to tap into the sentiments of those here on Earth?

Sure seems so. Thus ditch the writing on balloons thing and simply think, Grandma, I love you so much. That will be cheaper, easier, and way more environmentally-friendly.

Comments

[Michael]

The person who wrote on the balloon was obviously religious.
I disagree.
It is not obvious and may not even be true.
For example: It is a common enough occurrence in the UK for footballers who score a goal to point heavenward (?) as if the recently departed were really there in Heaven.
Grandma has gone to Heaven is just a comfort blanket and not necessarily the words of a religious person

[Laurel Hines]

I agree with Aileen, that there should be more attempt to educate people about the litter into pristine areas and danger these remembrance balloons pose to wildlife on both land and in the ocean. People should be wiser about it by now. It is akin to throwing litter out the car window, and that is now illegal. Parents should teach their children about this instead of encouraging it. I blame the parents of this child for buying the balloon and encouraging it. They were better ways to grieve, like planing a tree or a plant in honor of the deceased loved one.

[Michael]

Laurel
I thought the message on the balloon was from a child too, at first.
But reading it again, it seems odd.
The thanking Grandma for having kids, which would be the child’s parents.
An odd thing for a child to say.
Read it again and tell me what you think, please.

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Brian Ji
You wrote
"Whoever wrote on this ballon obviously was religious. But why would someone think that Grandma was better able to read words written with a sharpie on a balloon, than to tune into a relative's thought?

I've talked to my mother after she died. I didn't believe she could hear me, yet it felt good to speak to her as if she was still alive.

I never had the slightest inclination to write to her, though, especially not on a balloon. "

OMG this is hilarious! RMAFLOTF
This has got be one of your top 5 Brian Ji.

On a serious note, it's all catharsis.

[Spence Tepper]

In other words, Brian Ji, when the young girl let go of the balloon, she was saying goodbye. Letting grandma go. Very important.

[Emelia]

I was thinking about doing this for my grandad tonight, in my opinion it’s a good way to say goodbye to so on you loved, my grandad died on the 4th of January 2021, I was heart broken, we talked on the phone for hours, he was their for me and I was their fo him. We live in different cities, glasgow and wales, we never saw eachother. But this is a great way to honer the dead, but than theirs a negative side, harming the planet and littering.

[Greg Slian]

I don’t like people who litter and most decent folks don’t. But come on, Cut this person some slack, it’s how they wanted to handle their grief and gave them some splice. I pray that it helped. We’re not facing a balloon dumping environmental crisis here folks, just a few democratic libs who hate religion, are mad at God and have put a little balloon ahead of his fellow man. This world has become so cold.