I love cemeteries. When I was a little kid, my dad would bring me along each year to decorate the veterans graves with small American flags for Memorial Day. Before too long, I knew where all the stones were that needed a flag. Some were hidden among the branches of enormous fir trees, some nestled up against the craggy New England stone walls that ran along the edges of the small burial ground.When I was pregnant, I would walk each morning before work to one of several cemeteries near our house in Ipswich, MA. One grouping of headstones really haunted my ragingly hormonal self. It consisted of two medium sized stones with the names of a husband and wife. The woman's tomb stone said, "She did what she could." To the right of this were 7 tiny grave markers.
I am particularly fond of the stones with epitaphs. They seem to have gone out of fashion, but many of the older stones have poems, biblical quotes, or short, pithy comments. One I remember was short, to the point and poignant. "He was a good man." If my remains are decorated with a stone, I might like it to say, "She got a lot done." At the end of my best days I can reflect back and say, "Wow... I got a lot done!" That would be a good sentiment to end my life with, too, I think.
This magnificent burial spot is in a cemetery near my current home. It is tucked off to the side, facing the woods. I wish I knew more about who is spending eternity in this spot. A little epitaph would sure be nice!
2 comments:
You can't groom dogs (well) without an eye for balance and proportion, and it shows in your photographs. [smile]
Your Peaceful Places brought tears to my eyes, reading the epitaph of the woman with the 7 tiny markers. I also love going through the history of cemeteries. It's a sad thing, but sometimes funny, and sometimes you read a love story amidst the markers.
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