I've felt that feeling in other places too. I have always loved cemeteries. They are so peaceful and such a great place for contemplation. I spent nearly every summer morning in the cemetery of my hometown since we moved pipe in the fields surrounding it. Rarely did we go there without stopping beneath the tallest pine tree to glance at the graves of ancestors us children never even knew. Pearl Harbor is another place that is hallowed by what happened there so many years ago. The memorial they have built there is a great remembrance, but it is the spirit of the place that gives it such power. When I am in places like these, I am amazed that surrounded by death, my soul is alive with such intense feelings of peace and joy.
For my family, another hallowed place is the family farm. While other people may visit there and simply recognize the beauty of the rolling hills and green fields, for us it is more powerful than that.
Last week, my family went on a cook-out to the ranch (we missed you Aunt Kar and Daddy). My sister, Kelli, and I took our bikes and rode on the top of the mountain that divides the Dirty Head side of the farm from the Stink Creek side of the farm. It is a breathtakingly beautiful ride on a hidden away trail surrounded by sage brush and Indian Paintbrush with wide open views of every part of the valley. Few people ever see Cache Valley in such a way and I'm grateful we made the effort to take it.
My children and their cousins love the ranch too. It's like heaven for a child - they just run and explore and never want to leave. Cole hunkered down under a tree with his cousin and announced he was sleeping there when he heard it was time to leave. I loved watching my children play and remembering all the times I worked and played with my grandparents out there when I was younger.
My ancestors for four generations have farmed out there. For me, the ground is hallowed by their hard work and dedication. I'm grateful for their sacrifices and their lives. Their bodies may lie in various different places, but the power of their spirit lives on in the places they loved.
3 comments:
Hey - I loved this post and found your blog through Barbara's. You are a great writer and what a wonderful family and childhood. Thanks for sharing.
I definitely would have made the trip up for that. Looks like so much fun. I hate missing out....
I think we need to make a May bike ride at the ranch an annual tradition--I think it's a much better way to honor grandpa and remember him than going to the cemetery for memorial day! It was absolutely gorgeous, too.
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