To say I have family buried all over this town would be a understatement. I can't think of a cemetery where I don't have a friend or family member laid to rest, which means when Memorial Day comes around, we have a lot of driving that we do. It's a wonderful adventure, but this post is about the first time I knew I was a cemetery eidolon, and the emotional experience that came with it. The one thing that stands out for me that day was the sun. Because of my work schedule at the time, I wouldn't wake up until 1pm or 2pm, depending on if I had to work at 3pm, or if I had a day off and choose to get some extra sleep. The sun was beautiful, bright in a cloudless sky, and the air was pleasantly warm. I wanted to take full advantage of the day and, as was obvious from the last post, not be home when my boyfriend at the time got off work. He'd had an early shift and would be home by 5pm. I didn't want to be anywhere near there. We had veen forced to start taking ...

Many years ago, I was in an abusive relationship and I looked for ways to disappear, even if only for an hour. I wanted a place that was monitored, somewhere he would never want to go, but within walking distance of my apartment, and somewhere I could be guaranteed peace and quiet. It was hard going, but I never have up hope. I decided to take a trip to Memorial Park Cemetery, a place I'd been visiting since I was a child. I had family buried there, and it was always a beautiful place. My grandparents graves were neighbor to the pond/lake where the geese would cross on the water and sit on the warm grass to bath in the sun. A friend of mine who committed suicide had also been laid to rest in the hallowed grounds, and it was an opportunity to pay respects. The day was sunny, cloudless, warm, and as soon as I entered the gates, I found the peace I'd been looking for. I didn't drive, but walking was never a bother. Having packed a water bottle, some food, and a hat, I was we...