Last Friday was my roommate's 21st birthday. Instead of hitting the bars, we opted on something a little more romantic (or as others called it, creepy). We headed to the local graveyard. Tucked away on the edge of town, there's a dirt road that leads through a rod iron gate. Inside are rolling green hills, oak trees and grey tombstones. Five of us spent a lovely evening on picnic blankets, sipping rum and coke, opening presents, and eating red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
It got me thinking, though, why are people so averse to graveyards? Hundreds of horror films, superstitious ghost stories, and Halloween all contribute to our fear and dislike of graveyards. But in the light of day (and under a starry night) graveyards are peaceful, often quite beautiful respites. They are places of reverence to life's mystery and remembrance to those who came before us. Instead of avoiding them, I propose just the opposite.
So, I put together this list of things one can do when visiting a graveyard. Do enjoy and partake as you wish!
1. Picnic. Bring along your checkered blanket, your wicker basket full of pb&j sandwiches and juice boxes, a couple of good friends, and a romantic novel (I'd ditch the Stephen King thriller if I were you...).
2. Star gaze. This is best in fall with your significant other. Just wear a baggy sweatshirt with a hood so you don't get your hair dirty.
3. Jog. It's quiet and peaceful. There's no one to bother you but the friendly brown squirrels. There are cleared dirt paths and you won't run the risk of being run over by a maniac.
4. Bring flowers. Depending on the age of the cemetery, there are probably those buried who lived long before us. Perhaps soldiers who fought in the civil war or a famous author or someone you never knew who lived a simple life. Pick a few wildflowers on your way to lay on the graves.
5. Study. Tired of the stuffy library? Bring your backpack and a friend, lean up against a tree and finish the next day's reading (this one works best if you're reading Hamlet or studying for Anatomy...).
6. Celebrate. Birthday? Bachelorette party? Bake cupcakes, buy candles, bring presents. Arrive at graveyard around 11:00. Use candles on the cupcakes for light. Drink alcohol and swap girl stories (topics include but are not limited to: boys, parties, and lifetime dreams)
7. Walk. Enjoy an afternoon stroll by yourself, collecting your thoughts and stretching your legs.
8. Take pictures. Whether it's disposable or digital, put on a summer dress and snap away. You'll be surprised the treasures you'll find-a yellow daisy here, a fox there, moss on a tree, a quirky name on a tombstone.
9. Pray. What better place to contemplate our mortality than a graveyard? What better place to thank God for the life given us? What better place to awe at the beauty and fragility of life? What better place to worship?
10. Journal. Find an old oak tree, lean against, prop your notebook on your knee, and scribble away. Write about anything-your latest love, your newest insight, a poem, or what you ate for breakfast. None of it's insignificant; all of it's essential and important for you.
Using graveyards for parks is the European style. I like the idea of a bottle of French wine and a picnic on a sunny afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThe further I read in this, the more surprised I am how right Jen is. We're surprisingly alike, which makes reading this something along the lines of reading on old diary of mine. I think my love of graveyards stemmed from the L.M. Montgomery novels you referenced in an earlier post, you mentioned Annes specifically, but you should check out the Emily books if you haven't already.
ReplyDeleteOooo I've never read the Emily books, but I've been told many times I should. I'll definitely have to check them out.
ReplyDelete