Memorial Day

What a wonderful holiday. One of my new favourites. It might go Christmas, Memorial Day, Valentine's Day now. I don't know, but I love it. I've heard that Memorial Day isn't typically celebrated in most places the way they celebrate it here in Utah. But let me tell you, Utah does it right! Wikipedia says Memorial Day is "a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces." Which is, ya know, great. But here in Utah Valley, Memorial Day is a day to remember ALL lost loved ones, and show your love for them by decorating their graves with beautiful flowers. I took a trip to Manti with Seth's family and visited the graves of his grand and great-grandparents. We arrived around noon and already the cemetery was covered with flowers of every kind and colour. With flags blowing in the breeze and the temple in the distance, it was easy to feel a connection to my brothers and sisters who lived before me.

doesn't do it justice...

In the afternoon, we went to the Provo Cemetery to find the grave of my great great great grandparents, Mary and William Chittenden. I was surprised to find two plants on their graves already. Not sure who would've left them there, but it's fun to think that someone else had just visited that same grave because it meant something to them as well.

William Chittenden

born July 29, 1808

died March 29, 1878.

Our father has gone

to a mansion of rest

to the glorious land

by the diety blest

Mary Dunster Chittenden

born December 26, 1818

in Limpne Kent, Eng.

died July 2, 1886.

Rest mother rest,

in quiet sleep,

while friends in sorrow

o'er thee weep

So Memorial Day in Utah is great, and I think everyone should adopt these customs. You know, when you normally drive by a cemetery, I don't think you really understand and appreciate that real people lay in those graves. I guess not people, but bodies. And even then... bodies! All the bodies that housed these spirits during their time in this life. I think it is such thought-provoking symbolism that a body, once its spirit has left, should take its place in the ground. Just become part of the earth. And it's especially nice that there is something to mark where they rest. That here, under this stone, lay the bodies of William and Mary. These bodies that began in England and ended up in America. These bodies that spent the majority of their existence together. With these bodies, they became parents. With these bodies, they learned and they grew and they filled their lives with whatever was important to them. With these bodies, their spirits could influence people. It was amazing to see flowers cover these entire cemeteries and realize just how real that influence is. These bodies have not been forgotten! I've always loved cemeteries, but I think that love has grown even further as I've discovered just what a grave really is. Heavenly Father promised us each a special gift when we came to earth. And so we came, and received bodies. A grave is where we place that precious gift when we leave this life. This all seems really obvious, but for whatever reason it has just kind of struck me lately. And now that I realize this, I think it makes better sense why I love spending time in cemeteries - because they are full of God's great gifts. I can think of few places more sacred. How nice that we should set aside a day to place flowers on graves that home the bodies who have in some way contributed to our lives. God probably created flowers with this purpose in mind. So we can say thank you, your life has meant something to me. In return I will make your grave beautiful.

So, that's how it happened, my love for Memorial Day.