When you enter the cemetery and look off to the right on the
other side of a duck pond, there is an area with graves in close proximity to
each other.
We visited my father in laws plot. Said our words of
sentiment, and then decided to explore some other parts of the cemetery. The
kids and I were intrigued by the bunched up graves, Senior came with us, but then went on his own expedition.
As I expected the tiny graves were for kids. Sadness rushed over me. I immediatly thought about their parents. How ever do you fill the void of losing a child?
Some were well maintained by grieving parents or siblings.
Others were long forgotten. The copper
head stones long oxidized and blue/green. The dates ranged from the late 50s to
the present. How they died is not relevant, weather it was illness or some sort
of tragedy. What is relevant is that they lived, and left this world long
before they should have.
The boys went through and read them. NW became very
reverent, and wondered if they were angels now ND inquired about heaven and what the "kid Angels" as he called them, look like.
I put my arm around both and silently
Thanked God for healthy, inquiring children.
We found one particular marker that was a small heart. It
sat off from the others. Tree roots were grown around it, the little boys name
was Michael, and he died in 1962. had he lived he would be my sisters age. No one had been to visit Michael in probably
decades. His parents probably deceased.
NW bent down and cleaned dirt from off it. On better inspection we saw little angels adorning it, and hearts. NW
stared at it for what seemed like an eternity, I asked what he was thinking,
and he told me the little boy did not grow up, and it made him sad that no one put flowers on it. He asked if at any time we could. I smiled at his thoughtfulness and said "Sure".
I soak in every minute with my boys, when they fight, laugh, play, or snuggle with me. I take it all in.
I make sure they know mommy and Daddy love them. I always kiss them good night and we say our prayers. And Again, I Thank God for them.
-JUGM
Gurlie...my heart is with yours. always. i don't know what else to say except hold on to those precious little souls. somebody up there in heaven trusted you enough. that's a huge responsibility. but i know that you got big shoulders.
ReplyDeletelove. always. your friend,
kymber
see the first large Oak tree to the right of the picture? that is where little Michaels is. off and away from the others... : (
Deleteya - i see where little Michael is. xox
DeleteI know Gurlie... Senior and I do hold on to them. Yes, God has given us and all parents a huge repsonsibility. Raising a human being..wow! Think of it!.
ReplyDeleteI still think of those little graves, and see them when we go to the cemetary..just makes me so darn emotional. It is a pain I hope I pray I never have to endure.
yep - when you can look God in the eyes and tell him that you will do your best....ugh. that is serious. and you cannot shake your duty. you made a promise with God!!!!
Deletei know those graves make your heart lurch. you won't ever have to feel that kind of pain honey. the reason why is because you so know what that kind of pain would feel like. no worries honey. just keep empathizing with people who have had to feel that kind of pain. you're a really good woman JUGM! and a really good mother!
Thanks Gurlie. Actually I did make a promise with God. We tried for 10 years to have a baby. One night I just started praying.. Little did I know at the time of me praying I was all ready PG.
Deletewow Gurlie - that is a beautiful story. it gives me hope. i am so glad that you prayed!
DeleteI used to do research on the family with my mother. Lots of it involved going to grave yards in out of the way counties and trying to track down the grave sites of relatives, particularly from the War Between The States. Lots of times, you knew what graveyard a relative was in, but because the South was so impoverished by the war, the graves were often marked with a large rock or a piece of granite with no engravings. I never really enjoyed it, being in a graveyard can't help but remind you of your own mortality.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post about the integrity of your children. You guys are doing a great job of including them in your thoughts, training them to be good people & of course loving them. It's all that matters.
ReplyDeleteThey are so much fun when they are young. They grow up too fast and want cars, computers and money :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy it now!!!
oh they are all ready starting with the computers, My brother got them Kindles, and I have to keep a tight hold on them, or else they would want to stay on them all day. ...
Deleteyes I really do enjoy it, and they are super sweet right now..I know that probably won't last either.
DFW: Thank You!
ReplyDeleteHARRY: I am sure we pass a lot of old graves marked with a large rock and never know its a persons final rating spot. My Dad does a lot of research on our family.He has traced us back to Scotland. But yes seeing those little graves puts things into perspective.
Those are truly sad, our family grave yard all the kids have full sized plots. But you're right, so many did it differently depending on where one is.
ReplyDelete