I shall never forget the first day that I saw her. It is as fresh for me now as the day that it happened. She was so young and beautiful. I knew immediately that she was somewhere that she shouldn't be, so quietly I just watched her as she slowly and methodically wandered around the small open field that we were in. At first she just aimlessly wandered not seeming to have any direction or any intent, simply just meandering through the field as if in a daze. Her youth and beauty were somehow lost in the air of sadness that was enveloping her almost like a cloud that had descended upon her.
Then slowly the breeze began to stir and you could begin to hear the wind in the trees as the dry brittle leaves began to rustle and fall in the late Autumn afternoon. Then as if spoken to, she turned and saw me. I had been there the whole time, but it was as if she had never seen me until that very moment. Her aimless meandering seemed distant now. Now she had direction, now she had a new look upon her face, not one of despair but one of hope and courage. She walked straight to where I stood. Carefully she reached out and touched me as if to say are you the one. Then I heard her breath deeply and say "Yes, ......you are the one". I stood there silently as she continued on. It was just the two of us and the evening light was beginning to fade as the day was losing its battle against the night. "You will be his Guardian. Tomorrow I must lay my son to rest and I do not want to leave him in this open field alone. Winter is coming and it will grow cold. I will bury him in your shadow. You are small now, but I will come and water your roots with the tears for my son and I will rest my head against your trunk as I sit in his presence. You will grow tall and you will grow strong. In the winter your massive trunk will shelter his grave from the snow and ice and in the summer your leaves will give him shelter from the sun. You will be his guardian. I will pray that you will have the strength to always care for him even when I have grown old. So grow strong, sink your roots deep into the ground and brace for the challenge ahead."
Then just as slowly as she had entered my little field, she left it. I was humbled when I saw the small crudely made box that was brought and laid beneath me the next day. I was so small and worried that I would not be able to carry out the wishes of this lovely young mother. So I did as she had said. I dug my roots deep into the ground to better stand against all of the battles that I knew were sure to come. I covered his grave with my leaves in the Fall to keep him warm. I stood strong in the winter when my leaves were gone and there was nothing but my empty barren limbs to try and fight off the snow. I faced the strong Spring storms that I needed in order to gather nourishment to continue to stand. I soaked up the rays of the hot Texas sun so that it did not beat down upon where he lay. I did it. I did all that she had asked me to do. In return, she did all that she said she would do. She came faithfully to always check upon her son. She enjoyed the same benefits that I provided to him. In return she loved me and thanked me and always spoke to me in a kind loving manner. I saw this beautiful young woman slowly grow into a tired but still beautiful old woman. We were friends that spoke to each other in the only way that we knew how. It was a beautiful arrangement.
I am alone now and so uncertain of what I am to do. Before, I always knew that she would come and that she needed me. Her need is what caused me to grow tall and strong. Her need is what made me into what I am today. Little did I know that when she spoke those words "You are the one", that it was a task with only a beginning and no ending. So here I stand, The Guardian. The only thing that has changed is that now I am guarding her as well.
GW
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| Acrea Cemetary |
I shall never forget the first day that I saw her. It is as fresh for me now as the day that it happened. She was so young and beautiful. I knew immediately that she was somewhere that she shouldn't be, so quietly I just watched her as she slowly and methodically wandered around the small open field that we were in. At first she just aimlessly wandered not seeming to have any direction or any intent, simply just meandering through the field as if in a daze. Her youth and beauty were somehow lost in the air of sadness that was enveloping her almost like a cloud that had descended upon her.
Drawn to her in a way that I still do not understand, I watched her every move, her every step, her every breath. I tell you I cannot explain it. I was quite young at the time and there were so many things that I did not understand. The one thing that I did understand was that this young woman needed something. Not something that just anyone could give. Surely not something that I could give. I was so young. She needed strength not the weakness that I offered. If only I could help, If only I were able to speak to her, if only I could reach out and touch her. I could see the need in her face and in the way that her body moved. If only I could call out to her.
Then slowly the breeze began to stir and you could begin to hear the wind in the trees as the dry brittle leaves began to rustle and fall in the late Autumn afternoon. Then as if spoken to, she turned and saw me. I had been there the whole time, but it was as if she had never seen me until that very moment. Her aimless meandering seemed distant now. Now she had direction, now she had a new look upon her face, not one of despair but one of hope and courage. She walked straight to where I stood. Carefully she reached out and touched me as if to say are you the one. Then I heard her breath deeply and say "Yes, ......you are the one". I stood there silently as she continued on. It was just the two of us and the evening light was beginning to fade as the day was losing its battle against the night. "You will be his Guardian. Tomorrow I must lay my son to rest and I do not want to leave him in this open field alone. Winter is coming and it will grow cold. I will bury him in your shadow. You are small now, but I will come and water your roots with the tears for my son and I will rest my head against your trunk as I sit in his presence. You will grow tall and you will grow strong. In the winter your massive trunk will shelter his grave from the snow and ice and in the summer your leaves will give him shelter from the sun. You will be his guardian. I will pray that you will have the strength to always care for him even when I have grown old. So grow strong, sink your roots deep into the ground and brace for the challenge ahead."
Then just as slowly as she had entered my little field, she left it. I was humbled when I saw the small crudely made box that was brought and laid beneath me the next day. I was so small and worried that I would not be able to carry out the wishes of this lovely young mother. So I did as she had said. I dug my roots deep into the ground to better stand against all of the battles that I knew were sure to come. I covered his grave with my leaves in the Fall to keep him warm. I stood strong in the winter when my leaves were gone and there was nothing but my empty barren limbs to try and fight off the snow. I faced the strong Spring storms that I needed in order to gather nourishment to continue to stand. I soaked up the rays of the hot Texas sun so that it did not beat down upon where he lay. I did it. I did all that she had asked me to do. In return, she did all that she said she would do. She came faithfully to always check upon her son. She enjoyed the same benefits that I provided to him. In return she loved me and thanked me and always spoke to me in a kind loving manner. I saw this beautiful young woman slowly grow into a tired but still beautiful old woman. We were friends that spoke to each other in the only way that we knew how. It was a beautiful arrangement.
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| Child's Grave Acrea Cemetary |
Then that day came that I knew would eventually come. It was not a small box like the one right beside me and it was not as crude, but it was a box nonetheless. I knew what it meant. I knew all to well what it meant, for since the first small child was laid at my side, my small field had seen this ritual performed over and over. Yes, I was all too familiar with what it meant. I knew that I had seen her for the last time. Never again would her tears wash the dust from my trunk, never again would I feel her hair caress me as the wind softly blew, never again would she sit in my shadow.
I am alone now and so uncertain of what I am to do. Before, I always knew that she would come and that she needed me. Her need is what caused me to grow tall and strong. Her need is what made me into what I am today. Little did I know that when she spoke those words "You are the one", that it was a task with only a beginning and no ending. So here I stand, The Guardian. The only thing that has changed is that now I am guarding her as well.
GW
This was a short story inspired by my daughter, who is an incredible writer, and an old country cemetary on a warm Sunday evening a few weeks ago. The picture that I took does not do justice to the tree or to the small grave that lays at it's base. The Acrea Cemetary dates back to the 1850's and this particular grave had no visible name or date. I hope that you enjoyed my take on the events that led to the creation of this old cemetary.
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| Sunset at Acrea Cemetary |
This was probably one of the most inspiring places that I have been in quite some time. I meant to stop by and take a couple of quick photos, but I found myself captivated by the quiet and solitude. I literally stayed until it was almost too dark to see. Thanks for stopping by.
