Gravely

I can hardly believe it's been more than six days since I put up a blog post.

Apologies. Not to make excuses but I've had tons of work.

When I'm on deadlines I cannot think of a single thing to say that would be of interest to anyone.

And even if I could, I wouldn't have time to say it.

All caught up now and I have a few items to share.

Last Friday I received a request from a member of Find A Grave for a picture of -- wait for it! -- a grave. 

(On Find A Grave we all help one another out by taking pictures of graves in our area, and posting them on the corresponding virtual memorials.)

It was the second picture request I'd fulfilled in this particular cemetery -- a memorial park, to be more exact -- and I was eager to return there because it's such a beautiful place.

Normally I prefer cemeteries -- with tombstones -- for 'taphing and graving and the unique photo opportunities they afford.

But the moment I began wandering the lanes of Woodridge Memorial Park in Lexington, South Carolina, about four miles from my house, I was entranced.

So much so that I told TG -- whom I had previously instructed to bury me (when my time comes and not a moment sooner) only in a place where I can have a real tombstone -- that if he wanted to, he could put me at Woodridge.

That's because, even though you can't have tombstones but instead must choose a flat plaque, the regulations apparently allow a bench to be placed at your grave site.

And on that bench you may have engraved whatever you like. The sky is the limit.

I am, as it turns out, most enamored of the idea of my very own engraved bench on which loved ones may lollygag when they come to visit me.

I'll have to think carefully about what I want engraved on my bench.

The second verse of Zion's Hill -- Someday I'll hear the angels singing / Beyond the shadows of the tomb / And all the bells of heaven ringing / While saints are singing, "home sweet home" -- might do nicely.

Or how about one of my favorite Scripture verses -- But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18) -- ?

Perhaps a snippet of poetry, such as Emily Dickinson's immortal lines Ample make this Bed -- / Make this Bed with Awe -- / In it wait till Judgment break / Excellent and Fair. / Be its Mattress straight -- / Be its Pillow round -- / Let no Sunrise' yellow noise / Interrupt this Ground -- ?

Recently I saw an actual epitaph that I am sorely tempted to copy: Lover of little ugly dogs. 

How about a quote from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl? One very appropriate line comes to mind: 

There'll be no living with her after this.

No? How about a simple, Heeeeeeere's Jenny -- ?

I'll have to get back to you.

Last Saturday, for my second trip to Woodridge -- unlike my first visit when the weather was mighty fine -- it was cloudy, cold, and windy. There had been lots of rain and more was threatened.

I called the Woodridge offices before we set out but the answering service picked up. I was hoping to learn the precise location of the grave I sought, rather than having to walk past -- and read -- thousands of graves.

I needed some exercise but too much could kill you!

When they didn't call me back with the information, I thought, how hard can it be to locate one teensy grave marker? TG will help me find it and I'll get the picture and we'll go home and drink hot chocolate.

We got there in no time and began walking and reading.

The place is huge so of course, to mitigate what could turn out to be sizable losses on my part, I took some pictures along the way.

I liked a stone book atop a stone pulpit in a section reserved for those of the Masonic persuasion. A book, from all appearances, used mainly by birds.

Later I "pinked" the picture on Picnik and was pleased with the resulting atmospheric quality.

Can you spot TG in this un-fooled-with picture of the same subject, slightly different angle?

Remember: click to embiggen!

I am always struck by two things when wandering cemeteries: one, the imaginative things written on grave markers. Two, the love people manage to convey and express in just a few words.

Also I am amazed at how many young -- very young -- people die. Sometimes it seems as though every other grave is of a person who barely reached adulthood.

And of course there are so many children. So many who were just getting started.

Such as this fifteen-year-old who "died while deer hunting."

Or this sweet-looking eighteen-year-old who apparently -- like most young men his age -- enjoyed sportscars:

I would like to have met the youngster whose epitaph reads "He served Jesus faithfully." He was three days shy of thirteen years old when he met the Jesus he served ... in person.

The Scripture reference on his marker, I Timothy 4:12, is to a verse that reads: Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

A twenty-three-year-old woman's grave featured this inspiring verse: How dull to pause, to make an end / To rust unburnished, not to shine in use! / As though to breathe were life! / Life piled upon life were all too little, / And of one to me!

The sailboat on her marker bears the name Ecstasy.

I get a chuckle from certain names. I mean no disrespect but I wonder how you teach a child to spell his name when it has nineteen letters: S-O-U-V-A-N-N-A-R-A-T-V-O-N-G-S-E-U-K? And can you imagine how many times in this dear man's life he had to spell his name for people?

And how mangled it must have been most of the time, especially on his mail?

I do believe if I'd been him, I would've shortened the whole thing to Pane Sou. Pane Sou the Patriot.

And then there was the undoubtedly lovely Elisabeth Pickelsimer, who in due time found herself a handsome young man (name of Clifton, a Marine who served in both WWII and the Korean War) who made her his bride ... and in so doing changed her name to Elisabeth Taylor.

Speaking of patriots, a veteran -- or the spouse of a veteran -- was being interred at Woodridge last Saturday. As you can see, the Veterans Section is very special.

The monument bears the seals of all six branches of the military plus this inscription: They answered the call to arms. / They who won the peace now sleep in peace.

As I said, the terms of endearment people choose for the markers of their loved ones are sometimes so personal, they bring tears to your eyes while making you feel as though you're witnessing a display of affection not meant for the eyes to which it brought tears.

This next one has the double interest factor of bearing an unusual name -- unless you don't think the name Marvodene "Dini" Bone is unusual, which is fine, but I've never met a Dini Bone -- and a very short but heartrending message: Love You More.

And how about those benches we talked about?

The young man whose grave site is furnished with this bench, adorned with a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet, was only thirty-three years old when he died.

Now cracks a noble heart. Goodnight, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!

This fortunate gentleman clearly had many friends. His bench reads: Soul Man We Miss You.

Here's Soul Man's whole setup, which I think you'll agree is pretty nifty. I could get into something like this.

And here lies a man whose memory is very dear to his family. They thought he was the most wonderful husband and daddy in the world. As it should be.

Smokey's fishing in heaven ... John 3:16.

You know I always have a personal favorite! And here it comes.

Often the only sound I hear is your infectious laughter

I must've gotten very preoccupied because in the end, it was TG who found the grave of Ruth Milligan Cooper, whose marker was the one we'd come to photograph. 

She was a stunning lady who passed away ten years ago yesterday.

Looks like TG's pointing to the very place where Ruth's bench should be, if she had one.

He'd better not forget about mine.

Comments

[Mari]

I love these posts and the great things that are written on the stones. The benches are really a nice idea.

[Donna (Texas)]

My personal favorite..."There'll be no living with her after this..."
Love it!!

Love your shots Miz Jenny!!
hughugs

[Sue the hobbit]

Sigh. Now I shall have to add a bench to my long list of requirements for my death and interment.

[Donna M.]

Another great post! TG will take great care of you, my dear, and will most assuredly get you your bench!

[glenda]

Thought you might get a kick out of this, appeared in the Orlando Sentinel on 2-20-11/ The Osceola Historical Society will host a "Dine With The Departed" event 3-12-11 at Rose Hill Cemetery. Guests at the "tented dinner affair" will "meet" distinguished citizens who built the county./Includes lantern tours of the cemetery/runs from 6 to 9 P.M.$30 per person or $50 a couple.