I have a confession. I LOVE cemeteries! Not in a creepy way where I dress up
and stroll through the tombstones at night and scare people. And I’m not a ghost
hunter. I view cemeteries, not as a repository of bodies, but of history. They are
goldmines of genealogy.
A few months ago, we took a friend who no longer can drive long distances to
Texas to visit some of her family graves. The cemetery where we went is a
beautiful, old place, well cared-for and chock full of history. Ancient live oaks dot
the landscape, as well as the biggest magnolia trees I had ever seen. The air was
heavy with the scent of the creamy white flowers and, at one point, we found
ourselves standing beneath one old tree, simply breathing in the scented air.
It was a hot day and we walked the length and breadth of the place but we soon
found the markers we were looking for, discovering some poignant ones along the
way. A child who had lived only one day but who was precious enough to rest
beneath a beautifully carved headstone. A 12-year-old child, whose grave was
marked with a marble stone and surrounded by marble bumpers. A woman called
“Mammy”. Rows of white WWI and WWII markers, gleaming in the sun. Standing over each of my friend’s family members, we learned a bit about them. Whose side of the family they were on, who was related to whom, why they had not remarried after their partner’s death. Later as we lingered over lunch, she
brought out pictures and I could put faces to the names I had learned about today.
Suddenly, I felt as if I had known each and I wondered if we would have been
friends. Looking at them, I wondered if they, and the others, had been there
somewhere watching over us today.
Did they walk the paths with us, just out of sight? Were they happy to have visitors? I don’t know. It is something to ponder.
So, you see, a cemetery, in my opinion, is a wonderful and magical place. It is a
place of history. It is a place of genealogy. It is a place of family. And, perhaps, it
is a place of ghosts.
What do you think? Do you visit cemeteries? Have you ever seen a ghost?
That was such a cool trip. It was so hot, but we really had fun. I love these old cemeteries and exploring them with my BFFS!
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Thanks for writing this, and thanks again to both you & Pat for going – it was a long, but fun day! What made it even better was being with friends who also enjoy seeing history through the families who lived it. Just shows that every life tells a story, and cemeteries can be read like a book.
I love your last statement. It is true that every life tells a story. And, if you look, cemeteries read like a book. I love that.