I belong to a group, RAOGK....Random Acts Of Geneaological Kindness. Basically I am listed on a website, and when someone from out of town/state/country finds a loved ones roots in this area, I go on search of headstones and take pictures for them. This helps them to document actual dates, usually full names, wedding dates are most commonly listed as well. It also helps to see who is buried around them to maybe find more names in the family. I enjoy it, its very rewarding and I am a firm believer of doing one random act of kindness a day....and belonging to this, helps me accomplish that!
Yesterday for the first time ever, I was asked to travel to Calvarly Cemetery in Toledo. It was an absolutely gorgeous cemetery. Huge mosuleums. Large family plots, which I love! I love seeing one large stone with a surname on it, and all the family buried around it. Tells a story of connectedness. Of undying love. Of knowing who we are, through life, and into death. Being proud of who we are, and where we come from....to the point of wanting to be buried with them for all of eternity! (some families dont love that much, and arent that proud....)
As we walked around and took pictures yesterday, I was able to chat with my 7 year old about some of the neat things we saw. For instance, there was one golden monument. It was huge, and had Jesus on the cross and three women at his feet in mourning. Then in a complete circle around the monument were headstones, all of Reverands. So we talked about that, what a Reverand was, looked at all the dates for them. Was very pretty.
There were a bunch of small white stones, all perfectly lined up, and we thought that maybe they were military (my 7 year old has a huge appreciation and fascination with all things military). As we got closer I realized they were indeed not soldiers of the military, but sisters of the monistaries. It was very neat, all of the stones had three things documented: Full name, preceeded by the word "sister"; age of death; years of service. Very neat to see how many women gave up the calling to be a mother and wife, to go into this ministry and give of themself wholly....some for as long as 60 years! I was amazed.
Around the back of the cemetery....in a larger then one would like section along the road...stretched a group of small single graves. Some with teddy bears. Others with balloons. Some, long forgotten....in presence, I am sure never in heart. I had to explain to my children that this is where all the babies were. All the babies that didnt get to stay in their mommys arms long enough....were buried there. Some were infants, some with no names....others up to 8 years old that we saw. Some with only a death date listed....no dash to even celebrate a little. Heartbreaking....yet breathtaking.
We noticed on some that the husbands died years before the wives. Or that there were children buried near their parents, that didnt outlive their parents....the way that life should happen....it doesnt always work out that way. We saw many favorite bible verses....lots of crosses. We even saw some that had their favorite hobbies....fishing, knitting ect. I always find it neat to see the person as you look at their headstone. To those that never knew them, its all we will ever know....and some of them, really tell a story. I find that fascinating. Some find it morbid to spend a day (when you dont need to) in a cemetery....I find it beautiful....peaceful and awe-inspiring at times.
It was a neat trip out for the day. Something to do with the kids while my beloved got some much needed sleep. I think we were there well over an hour. It gave me time to talk with the kids about the "dash" the little line that seems so insignificant on the headstone. It almost seems crowded out by the birth and death dates....the designs on some graves, wedding dates, bible verses....but really, that small little dash....is the biggest part. The best part.
I hope to teach my children to live that dash to their fullest. I hope that I can teach them to take each day and live it like its never gonna happen again. To relish in all that this life has for them. To let the bad of the day slip away and to hold on to the good of the dash. It a beautiful dash....and we have the choice every day, to live in it.
I hope they always do.
xoxo
This was the front gates into the cemetery....
The back gates, which I found to be just as beautiful even if much smaller in structure.
This was a personal monument on a family surname headstone! Grandeur in size and beautiful!
These were the ones I described as being around the Reverands graves. Beautiful pieces of art.
Close up of one of the women of the sculpture...this one, through rain, sun or maybe just the material used it almsot looked as if she was crying, a long tear dripping from the corner of her eye down to her chin. My picture does it no justice.
Picture of a building on the cemetery grounds, not sure, but I think it might have been a huge mosoleum, not a personal family one, but a large one for anyone to be buried in. It was stunning!
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