Today was Decoration’s Day at our Family Cemetery. I arrived close to Sundown.
Two Cousins and one Great Aunt were there when I pulled up.
We hugged, talked, and realized that the four of us had met there at the same time last year.
As the name suggests, “Decoration Day” is a day for the family to visit their loved ones’ graves and place flowers to decorate the graves.
My brother’s grave looked good.
I have loved ones buried all around this old Cemetery.
It was established on October 11th, 1882.
The oldest grave is the grave of a Civil War Soldier who died in 1865.
I’m guessing that the Soldier was buried there first, and the Cemetery got built around his grave. But, again, I’m only guessing.
There are war heroes from many wars buried in this Old Cemetery.
My Great Uncle, “S.J.,” was instrumental in getting the Cemetery listed in the Alabama Historic Cemetery Registry.
Without Uncle S.J.’s hard work and dedication to the Cemetery, the place might have been in trouble one day.
I walked the grounds to visit graves.
No matter where I stood in the Cemetery, twelve feet away was the grave of a family member—many who lived before my time.
My Grandmother, on my Dad’s side, died before I was born. I visited her grave as well as my Grandfather’s.
Many Cousins, Grandparents, Great Aunts, and Great Uncles are buried in the Cemetery.
I enjoy getting to the Cemetery at Sundown.
Large old trees cover the grounds, providing much-needed shade on hot days.
I sat on the bench at my brother’s grave.
An active train track sits about a mile off in the distance.
As I sat, I could hear the long whistle of the train’s horn.
The “Clickity-Clack, Clickity-Clack” of the tracks could be heard as the train rolled over the tracks.
Birds chirped.
Crickets and Frogs warmed up their instruments, waiting for the night to arrive.
A large old tree shades my brother’s grave and the family plot.
I know one day I, too, will be buried here.
And as I listened to the “Clickity-Clack, Clickity-Clack” of a train off in the distance, I realized why my brother wanted to be buried here.
And I realized why I want to be buried here too.
“Clickity-Clack, Clickity-Clack.”
