Gone but not Forgotten

My love affair with cemeteries began too many years ago to remember.  I was never afraid of them- truth be told I'm more scared of my city than I am walking alone in a cemetery.   I remember being little and my parents taking us to the cemetery across from Freehold Racetrack~they were the best seats in the house for the fireworks show. When I was old enough to drive, I often went to the cemeteries where my Grandfathers were buried. I'd  sit and weed around the stones, fix the flowers, and just pour my heart out. Inevitably I always felt better.  Some would say of course I did- I talked about what was going on in life- both good and bad. I could have done it anywhere you'd say- in a park. On a beach. In my home.

No, I couldn't. To me these were things I wanted to share with my Grandfathers, things I wanted to say in a place I felt at peace. A place where I felt safe and a connection to someone. And I did~  I felt like they were there looking over me and giving me a silent hug. I didn't need to hear their words, I wanted some type of connection and the stones provided that.  

And it's not only with my Grandfathers. It is with any stone I stop at. When the kids were little we would often walk around cemeteries with them. Rob and I would clean off a few random stones, pick up the flags, fix the flowers while Kelsey  read stones and Colin just toddled along side us.   Rob still reminds me of the time I spent almost 2 hours weeding his Uncle Chet's stone and just babbling away. I never knew him in life, but through his nephew I knew him. I think I would have loved him. 

This past  4th of July weekend we did the same thing. The kids are now old enough to understand where we are and that these people are gone. We picked up more fallen flags than I can count. We read about people's births and deaths in the words their loved ones had inscribed. We were happy for the ones who lived such long lives and we were sad for the ones not here long enough.  They all have a story- no matter how long or short. 

We didn't know these people in life, but we learned about them in death. And in my heart- they know that someone hasn't forgotten about them. They know we care. Whether we knew them or not, there is a place in our hearts for them.