I have always been fascinated with cemeteries. Especially the old, well manicured ones. The ones with rolling hills and monuments of various shapes and sizes. Mausoleums, family or public, pique my interests. My wife and I often find ourselves on a drive and end up having our lunch along a drive under the shade of a big ole sycamore or oak tree, all the while gazing out across the landscape of stones etched with names too numerous to count....some unpronounceable if I had all day to try!!!
Recently, I have lost my mother and father two months apart. The former to a heart attack and the latter to a broken heart. 62 hears of marriage made a very strong bond between the two. She was cremated and he left his body to science. My sister and I had Celebration of Life services for both of them...which were nice. But to me these services left me with a feeling of non-closure to our parents' lives. My in-laws had traditional funeral services and my wife agrees that she attained a sense of closure. So, I am not a fan of cremation or the leaving of remains to science. Although there are various ways to do these types of handling, with traditional viewings. Unfortunately, with added costs. But, had they been buried in a cemetery, my sister and I as well as other members of the surviving family members and friends would have a place to go and see our families' heritage. Further, once our families' generation is gone, their monuments(headstones) will be standing as a testament to theirs as well as our memories.
I'm a Christian, and I realize that once we have died to these earthly bodies, there isn't much point in putting thousands of dollars into burial expenses. Each year the costs escalate to seemingly astronomical proportions. So I can see the futility in their existence, since these were earthly vessels no longer needed much-less having to pay these costs to put them into a multi thousand dollar designer box then placed into a concrete bunker that may have a 50 year guarantee against water getting into it. One has to wonder..... first, who cares, then, how can a family member call out the seller of these vaults, to test this guarantee? But I digress!!
In short, I will forever enjoy traipsing through and will seek out cemeteries in other states and countries, if possible. To enjoy their beauty, individual uniqueness and forever lasting draw of people like me. Which isn't a bad thing :p
Just a little update: I have retired, well semi-retired and am living in the sunshine state of Florida along the sugary white sand of the Gulf in Pensacola. I continue to serve those desiring memorial photos and enjoying life!!!

I have always been fascinated with cemeteries. Especially the old, well manicured ones. The ones with rolling hills and monuments of various shapes and sizes. Mausoleums, family or public, pique my interests. My wife and I often find ourselves on a drive and end up having our lunch along a drive under the shade of a big ole sycamore or oak tree, all the while gazing out across the landscape of stones etched with names too numerous to count....some unpronounceable if I had all day to try!!!
Recently, I have lost my mother and father two months apart. The former to a heart attack and the latter to a broken heart. 62 hears of marriage made a very strong bond between the two. She was cremated and he left his body to science. My sister and I had Celebration of Life services for both of them...which were nice. But to me these services left me with a feeling of non-closure to our parents' lives. My in-laws had traditional funeral services and my wife agrees that she attained a sense of closure. So, I am not a fan of cremation or the leaving of remains to science. Although there are various ways to do these types of handling, with traditional viewings. Unfortunately, with added costs. But, had they been buried in a cemetery, my sister and I as well as other members of the surviving family members and friends would have a place to go and see our families' heritage. Further, once our families' generation is gone, their monuments(headstones) will be standing as a testament to theirs as well as our memories.
I'm a Christian, and I realize that once we have died to these earthly bodies, there isn't much point in putting thousands of dollars into burial expenses. Each year the costs escalate to seemingly astronomical proportions. So I can see the futility in their existence, since these were earthly vessels no longer needed much-less having to pay these costs to put them into a multi thousand dollar designer box then placed into a concrete bunker that may have a 50 year guarantee against water getting into it. One has to wonder..... first, who cares, then, how can a family member call out the seller of these vaults, to test this guarantee? But I digress!!
In short, I will forever enjoy traipsing through and will seek out cemeteries in other states and countries, if possible. To enjoy their beauty, individual uniqueness and forever lasting draw of people like me. Which isn't a bad thing :p
Just a little update: I have retired, well semi-retired and am living in the sunshine state of Florida along the sugary white sand of the Gulf in Pensacola. I continue to serve those desiring memorial photos and enjoying life!!!