Now that the holiday season is upon us, my mind goes to the cemeteries I pass by in my travels. This time of year, we see graves dotted with plastic holiday flowers, poinsettias in pots, and other items adorning the graves of loved ones. These are visual reminders that someone still cares and comes to visit the grave of a loved one. Still...there are many graves where no one can travel to pay their respects - - or other reasons why graves will not be decorated this holiday. But....you can pay your respects and leave no trace that you were there!
At the cemeteries where I have spent extensive time doing clean up, documentation, and a myriad of other projects, I begin to feel like the residents are family to me. I've researched their lives, deaths, cleaned off their graves, and vow they will not be forgotten. It's always a special treat to me when one of their descendants contact me and shares even more about their ancestor, and I am able to help them find answers to their questions.
As I was transcribing some newspaper articles today for my website (www.yubaroots.com), there was a portion about Marysville that was written by a correspondent in 1897, which put into words how I feel - - and can pertain to any area on the globe: "Her glory, her fame, her trials, triumphs and vicissitudes will pass as history into other hands for safekeeping. Let them not be unworthy of the trust." And let us remember that it is people who make history.
