Cemetery Journey

"I went to the Lakeview, Roselawn and Tiger Flowers cemetery complex for this fieldtrip, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes."

I really enjoyed going to the cemeteries; I know that sounds weird, but there is really sort of a peace in places like that. No matter who you are, you can't help but respect the dead when you are in the presence of their tomb stones. Before venturing out to wander the grounds, I re-read Whitman's poem. One part of it really stuck out to me that I wanted to focus on during my time there:

O what shall I hang on the chamber walls?

And what shall the pictures be that I hang on the walls,

To adorn the burial-house of him I love?

What I believe Whitman is talking about here is he is asking himself who Abe Lincoln was to him. What would he want to display for the world to see that would say something profound about the life of his dear friend? As I walked about the grounds, there were different things written on the stones...."Infant son," "World War II SGT," "Methodist Minister." What would be said about me? This inspires me to really do something in my life. I want to love people in such a way that they will remember that most when I leave this world.

I spoke with one of my classmates today and he mentioned how Professor Corrigan always talks about death. We started discussing why this might be, and something occured to me. Whether this is his intention or not, he has caused me to really examine my life as we are continually discussing death. Death is becoming more real to me, and as a collateral life is becoming more real as well. As surely as I am moving and breathing now, I will also cease to live one day. There is so much significance in that statement. Our lives are but a vapor, but such an important vapor; that vapor determines our eternity. What am I going to do with the short time that is given to me?