As I sit here during our 16th straight hour of heavy rain, I have been thinking about some of the monuments we saw in the Hope Cemetery. These markers will be most folk’s last chance to directly reflect on their lives. Traditionally, they have been limited in nature. In older cemeteries around the world and here in the USA, they tend to reflect their faith, love of family, or significant accomplishments in life. Many are simply with a name and dates.
I have noticed a trend in more recent stones, the attempt at something more, even including some humor. Also perhaps to try and capture something more about what their lives were about then just the old standby standards. This is certainly true in the Hope Cemetery. This is not about size or money, but what was of interest to those who have passed on.
Most of us have a limited memory shelf life after we are gone. If we do not appear in some historical document that will be read through the ages, once our grandchildren are gone, so will memories of us. But for those who have some ingenuity, perhaps the regular cemetery gawkers of the future will stop and smile at what was left behind and for a second they will wonder what those folks were really like.
So that makes me wonder, what kind of message would we like to leave behind for those who come after us, that 30 second commercial for our lives?
12 comments:
soggy and wet!..great post and what a fun question!!!..now what would my 30 second commercial be?..hmmm..going to have to think about that one!
She finally grew feathers and flew away??
"She loved her life".
I can't wait to see what other responses you get to this post! Great idea!
I won't have a marker, cremation and flung into the sea. Maybe when looking at the sea they will think of me and smile....
"Phew!"
And I didn't use all 30 seconds. :c)
"Sure, now you come to visit"!
mine would probably have a camera and something with ice, and bears, and penguins :-))) And, let's not forget the "B" of Blogger :-)))
Thanks for leaving a comment! I loved your cemetary post. I, too, love looking through cemetaries and seeing the differing headstones - the older the better since I love history. I'll have to think some about what kind of stone I want though!
Candy
Thanks for leaving a comment! Personally, I like the stone I saw recently in Key West - "I told you I was sick."
Candy
This is a good question - how would I like to be remembered... perhaps thinking about this will lead me to a meaningful purpose for the retirement phase of my life?
"Life was good".
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