Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Cemetery Tales - Telling a Story

Whenever I go to a new cemetery I feel like I'm meeting a new friend. Each one has a unique personality.

The Rexburg Cemetery is very traditional and stable, Sugar City is family centered and active. The Annis Little Butte Cemetery is sentimental. I could go on. Archer, Burton, Plano, Teton, Ammon, Rosehill. Each one has a "feel". Some of them have valuable momentos left behind by loved ones, some are as decorated as main street at Christmas. There are little notes and letters tucked in crevices for parents and toys left for children who have passed. I haven't met a cemetery yet that I haven't liked. So far they have all been friendly.

As I enter a new cemetery I look around for a place to start. Usually I start on one side and work across, but not always. If I have family buried in a particular cemetery I always do my family first. It just seems more polite.

I always read the name on the headstone. I am very aware that each one represents a real person. A lot of the time I also read the dates. They sure tell a story. When I see a family plot where many children have died at tender ages I feel a twinge of sadness and sympathy for the parents that they had to endure so much heartache while on earth. I'm always happy to see names of people I knew. Not happy that they have died. Just a remembrance of my interaction with them while they were alive. I've found former teachers, parents of friends, classmates, distant family, local "celebrities", and just plain old aquaintences. I find myself talking to them.

"Oh, so that's why I haven't seen you around for so long."
or
"I wondered what happened to you."

Every so often I come across someone who has a birthday on the day I'm there. I know it's weird, but I always sing a quick little "happy birthday to you" song for them.

I've seen, multiple family deaths on the same day, which reminded me of the bad car accident that I read about, a mother who died the same day as her stillborn baby, and a local man who died at the Pentagon on 9-11. I've seen historical figures from our local pioneer heritage and pauper's graves with hardly more than a rotting wood cross.

It always makes me feel like I'm connected to the whole of the human race, and to each individual.

2 comments:

Becca said...

Cemeteries really are the history book of our lives. We went to visit M's family plot in Cali and when walking by we see a plot of a young woman and a newborn daughter. Both died in 1929. Made me well up knowing two lives cut tragically short. I hope someone would care enough about me when I am gone to come and remember me.

emiflute said...

I really enjoyed reading about this cool hobby of yours. Someday, I'd like to go with you to visit a cemetery. I would love to see them the way you do!
Thanks for posting!