Who Do You Remember?

As a child i remember today being a very very busy day for my family. We often would wake around 6 in the morning to eat the waiting breakfast my mom had cooked before dressing and rushing out the door. The next 3 to 5 hours would be spent going from grave site to grave site (sometimes it took awhile because we have a lot of family buried in a lot of different cemeteries) placing beautifully made wreaths and crosses.

My Mom made it a point to tell us as children that although visiting a grave was a great way to remember the people we love, they were not there. It always confused me as a kid and i didn't really understand why we went if they were not there. She would explain that although their flesh was there, their spirit was not. This is something that I would remember for the rest of my life.

I know a lot of people find comfort in visiting the grave a of a loved one. I am not one of those people. It took me 3 years to return to my Mom's grave site after shoe passed. I expected to go there and cry and ball and lose my mind. After all it was the worst reminder that she was not with me. Instead what i found was a calm feeling. I didn't cry, not one tear fell that day. All i could think of was my Mom's words to me as a child. She was not there! She was in my heart, she was watching over me, she was with me where ever i was.

I have only been back to my Mom's grave site 3 times since she passed. It has been 8 years. Sometimes i think about going and then i ask myself why. I do not need to be by her body to be with her and talk to her. She is where ever i am! I talk to her almost everyday and i take comfort that she hears me. She is with me in my heart and in my soul. She knows how much i miss her with out me having to say a word. The same can be said for the rest of my family that has left us.

Today is Memorial Day. Although it is a day where we honor our fallen soldiers we also honor the lives of those who left us. Whether it is your Mother, Brother, Sister, Aunt, Uncle, Child or a stranger. We remember today that they were here and the time we spent with them. So who's life are you celebrating today?

Today i am celebrating the lives of:

• Judith "Judy" Anderson - My Mother
• Mildred "Vinnie" Shawver - My Mamaw
• Tommy Shawver - My Papaw
• Lucy Anderson - My Grandma
• Margret Golf - My Great Aunt
• Robert "Bob" Anderson - My Uncle
  
• Nadia Mo'nee Ellis - My Niece
• Cassandra Mullin
• Kaleb Lukes
  
• Faith Hope
  
• Kayleigh Anne Freeman
• Maddie Spohrs
  
• Audrey Caroline
  
• Tuesday Fiona Whitt
• Issac Timothy Delisle
• Ruby Mae Smith

I am sure there are countless others i have forgot and many more i need to remember and honor. So who do you honor today?

Also a special thank you to all the families who have sacrificed a Mother, Brother, Sister, Father, Uncle, Aunt, Child, or friend in War. My family loves and honors the lives of our fallen soldiers and those who are still there fighting today.