:: We’re All Children

 

Last Wednesday was my “Dad” day. 

I pick him and we run his errands.  He gets his check, we grab a bite to eat, he insists on putting gas in my car and we make a day of it. We drive through the back roads, from my country house and “sneak up on” and out of the city.

This particular day—I had my camera and asked if he minded stopping at the cemetery on the NORTH east side of the county. He obliged. 

I have no idea why I’m drawn to old cemeteries lately.

Honestly.  We don’t visit our own dead in my family.   It’s not something we do. 

The beauty in the old monuments is a big draw for me.  I don’t take flowers.

The love and celebration of life is overwhelming. 

The PASSING, the passed and the distant past; meet here, in the cemetery.  All walks of life. The military. The married. The husband. The mother. The infant.  Lots of infants.

We are all someone’s child.  Given life by a parent.

I edited the photos. I gathered them all here—I thought about these people for a moment, people I’ve never met.  Then it occurred to me.  I didn’t snap one picture of my dad.  Dad doesn’t like his picture taken. I guess instinctively, I just didn’t point my camera toward him; because of that reason.  I would like to think—I’d be more mindful of that in the future--- and sneak a picture or two. That’s how we get most our pictures of dad.

As we walked through the cemetery he talked of my mom.  How she too, liked looking at old monuments; but didn’t care much for graves of family. He spoke about the plague in 1918 that took the lives of so many, we noticed; including his young grandmother.(not buried here)   He also talked about Historical Monuments. There wasn’t one here at this cemetery, though I have to wonder why not.  It’s called Blackland Cemetery

NOTES/ THOUGHTS::  I searched online for a little while and found nothing really about it.  I have to wonder—because of the name and the region why it’s not marked “Historically” .  I also wonder if it’s a Black Cemetery.   I mean no disrespect… so please I hope anyone reading this doesn’t take it the wrong way.  But, I know up until a few years ago—some black families still lived in the area.  I also know that Crandall, the nearest town is well known for raising cotton for years and years (100+).   It could be that after cotton grows—the soil becomes depleted of good nutrients and become black and gummy.  It could be that mostly black families are buried here.  Either way, the area, the agriculture of the time;  the amount of deaths during the plaque and several military headstones… I just think this cemetery aught to have some recognition.  Surely, someone has some information on it other than where it is on the map.  

 

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
            And in Your book were all written
            The days that were ordained for me,
            When as yet there was not one of them.

~Psalm 139: 16

 

‘Til next time, Be Blessed!




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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing