A little something about nothing

Trip to the Cemetary

I realize that most people my age have had the unfortunate reason for visiting a cemetary. I on the other hand have not. I am not trying to jinx myself by saying this, but I am nearly 34 and the only family member I have lost other than my great great aunts/uncles that I barely knew is my grandfather; however, I was in 3rd grade and he lived out of state. Needless to say, I've had no reason to visit a cemetary.

On Saturday was Mark's grandmother's birthday...she passed away 3 1/2 years ago. He was planning to go visit her and take her birthday flowers. One thing led to another and he never made it there Saturday. So Sunday after we played wally ball he decided to stop...with me in the car. I was a little nervous going with him thinking he may ask me to get out of the car and go to her grave with him. We pulled into the cemetary and he stopped the car, walked around to this wall that was filled with these green metal things with sticks on the bottoms, got back in with two of them and we drove off. I looked at him oddly until he explained they were vases for the flowers.

We drove around for a few minutes until he spotted the tree she is near. When we stopped he looked at me and asked if I wanted to wait in the car. Relieved I said, yes. He went out and put a vase on each side of her grave marker, filled each with flowers and the birthday balloon, talked silently with her and returned to the car.

As we drove out we were talking about the place his brother is...the Mausoleum. I've only ever seen them in the movies and they always appeared so dreary and creepy. Mark asked if I wanted to see one. I agreed and we went in. It was so nice in there. They had a box (not sure the right term for this) with a glass front and a light so you could see the picture of his brother and the other memorbilia the family chose to put in there. The only thing that kinda creeped me out is the fact there were areas that kept people's whole bodies instead of just their ashes...of course those were marble covered so you didn't really see anything, but just the thought.

I now feel a tad more adult with having experienced that, but it also makes me sad to think I will one day be going there to visit someone I know instead of someone I've heard about.