Flags and Flowers

     Today is Memorial Day--the signal for summer and a day to remember our relatives who have passed on and those Veterans who have served our Country. On Saturday, we took five of our grandkids to the cemetery to place flowers on my mom and dad's graves. Our daughter Melissa was the one who remembered to gather the flowers and suggest we go. As usual the cemetery was beautiful, masses of flowers, hanging baskets, wind chimes and American flags waving in the warm southern breeze. For a couple of the grandkids this was their first time to a graveyard. They were fascinated with the flowers and flags.
     Little Boo Boo age three wanted to gather the flowers from the graves and we had to explain to her why she couldn't. Then all five wanted to know about the flags and if the Veteran's all had died in the war or only half of them. I told the kids that some may have died in wars but many came home and died in old age here in America. Soon they saw a marble statue of Jesus--hands outstretched--and they began to run toward Him saying, "Let's run to Jesus!"

     Across the sunlit grass among the flags and flowers, across the field of dead, the field of green grass they ran  little people full of life, dressed in colorful summer clothes, giggling, waving their arms. I watched transfixed in their joy of life and sun, and summer, and flags and flowers, and Jesus, and all that children see that we don't take time for any more. I soon followed. They were touching the toes of Jesus and sitting on the brick wall surrounding the figure, and dancing in the cool green of the grass. Soon little Joe looked up and said, "Is Jesus buried here too?"
     "No," I said. And I explained again what the statue symbolized and how the scripture Matthew 11:28 inscribed there, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," meant--that when you lose someone you love and feel very sad, Jesus is there to help you and make you feel better. (That was my interpretation, I guess the scripture was really talking to those who had died receiving rest, but they kids seemed pleased with my logic.)
     Soon all the suntanned legs ran back to their great grandparent's graves and prepared to leave. On our way out, we drove around looking at the splendor of flagged and flowered graves. If those buried there could see, I'm sure they smiled at the sight of little children skimming across the grass bringing life, love and laughter to the quietness. As we drove away ShiAnn age 10 said, "I feel very sad for all these people, some of them are very old." Three year old, Annalynn replied solemnly, "Yeah, and some of them died." Out of the mouth of babes...