Wandering through the Cemetery

                Last week I was bored and couldn’t figure out what to do.  While most people would come up with ideas such as watching a movie, hanging out with a friend, or taking a nap, my idea was to go find a random cemetery and wander around in it.  To most people my idea would sound morbid and strange, but to me it’s very exciting and interesting.

               

When I go to a cemetery I don’t think about the hundreds of dead bodies beneath me.  Instead, I think about the beautifully unique lives that all of these people have had.  I’m also intrigued by the unique names and the beauty of the gravestones themselves.  So, when I went to the cemetery last week I brought a camera and took pictures of certain gravestones I found unique and/or ones that had neat names on them.  The location of the cemetery I went to (St. Joseph’s cemetery) was particularly picturesque.  It was located near the woods next to the Wisconsin River. 

As I wandered the cemetery I felt the familiar, odd mixture of feeling that I always get when I’m at a cemetery: a comfort/happiness but also a bittersweet sadness.  Being in a cemetery reminds me of my mortality, which can be a bit depressing, but it also reminds me how many unique individuals are on this earth and the wonderful miracle of each and every person’s life, no matter how short or long.

So, the next time you’re bored and can’t figure out what to do, wander around in a cemetery.  You’ll learn to appreciate the life you have so much more.