Tuesday, December 1, 2009

A Time For Quiet





I couldn’t believe it when I saw Woodswalker’s post about her walk in the local cemetery; I had, the same day, gone to a different cemetery seeking the same solace! This was not new to me; in the days when my husband, John, and I, traveled on the road as musicians, we would frequently find ourselves in some city where the only place we could find peace, and a bit of greenery, was often the town cemetery. As two people who lived in beautiful rural environs, we were spoiled by the numerous beautiful places for our daily hikes, but being on the road, sometimes in cold, inhospitable cities, we were grateful for the respite the local cemetery could provide.
Though outside its margins might have been roaring with traffic, congestion, and hoards of people, inside it was serene, peaceful, birds chirping, chipmunks chattering, squirrels scampering; and often, in older cemeteries , we would find magnificent old trees, rolling hills, and of course the often, exquisite headstones.
As we wandered amongst the gravestones, we were always touched by a sense of history: knowing each inscribed name represented a human life; each date, another time, another piece of history, remote and yet somehow, not, for we knew, these people had been driven by the same desires, fears and needs as we.
Growing up, the word, “graveyard” was a scary idea, visions of ghosts, and goblins, and all of our darkest fears were conjured, but that notion was transformed for me, in those peaceful walks that I often took in the local cemetery.


9 comments:

  1. Green space is important to people, I'm not surprised you found solace in a cemetery. Beautiful pictures.

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  2. Cemeteries or graveyards are part of life, despite people trying to shut them out of their lives.

    Beautiful shots!

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  3. Give a person time to think in the solitude.

    http://www.gardenersreach.com/post/Wordless-Wednesday-.aspxa

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  4. Amazing colours in your first photo. Old cemeteries are wonderful places to visit both for the history and the abundance of nature.

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  5. What beautiful photos and interesting narrative! You surely have a gorgeous blog.

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  6. What a beautiful cemetery! Is that near your home? I love the tiny private burying grounds you find along country roads around here, with stones dating back to the early settlements. I, too, like to try to imagine the stories behind the names. So many people died young, even in infancy.

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  7. You're right, cemeteries are very peaceful places - and over here in England, they are often wildlife havens too. :)

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  8. I was spending a week in Lancaster, UK last week (on work, no holiday) and on the last free day I walked for three miles and guess what I too crossed a cemetery and went in. Being from a different culture I was not sure and got in a while, thinking I might be disrespectful by being there, but looking at your post I will spend some more time. Maybe I will make a small post too.

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