Needing to get out of the city, I landed in a northern Oklahoma cemetery.
Yes, I’ve been cemetery walking again. Come to find out, I’m not alone. Recently, I sat with a table full of folks from Northern California and Nevada who all admitted to cemetery walking and claimed the beneficial effects thereof! Well, one lady thought we were all crazy, but the rest of them affirmed this creepy habit.
So, here’s what I found. A husband (1922-1990) and a wife (1892-1980). He lived 10 years without his beloved…who was 30 years older than him! Just caught my attention, that’s all. I thought I had done well to date a freshman cheerleader as an 8th grader!
On a sadder note, I did the math and inspected the embedded picture of a 16 year old who died long before his time. His mother was buried next to him. She was 45, dying a mere two years later. This story requires few words. The dates said it all.
As I walked respectfully around a small portion of this cemetery, I encountered war heroes and centenarians, along with those who died too soon, or lived too long without someone.
And I wondered, “What kinds of adversity did they encounter in their lives?” Most likely, they experienced it all: bankruptcies, divorces, illness, and broken hearts. Most, no doubt, had triumphs as well: great adventures, honors, and milestones. And, they loved people and people probably loved them. But ultimately, I don’t know about them very specifically.
I just know about me.
So, as I reflected on my triumphs and on my adversities, I determined to go home and make the most of my life…with renewed perspective.
Worth Repeating
We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.
–Abraham Lincoln
