MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and
chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.
There's a tombstone in a local cemetary that has a commercial aircraft engraved on it. A friend of mine told me the story behind it but that was years ago and I forgot it.
In that same cemetary there's a humongous boulder marking one grave...the boulder is from Alaska. I guess the guy had a connection.
That epitaph (the one ending 'prepare for death and follow me') is a classic, 1600s New England tombstone inscription. There are a few 300+-year-old stones within two miles of where I sit that have that poem. Nice to see the tradition carried forward.
Cemetery wandering is my favorite hobby. I have tons of pictures, and I've begun collecting my favorite epitaphs in a journal.
A few examples:
The grave is ready; let me rest
No longer linger here oppressed.
Cold, in the dust, my perished heart may lie
But that which warmed it once
Will never die.
The father and the children dead
We hope to Heaven their souls are fled.
The widow now alone is left,
of all her family bereft.
May she now put her trust in God,
To heal the wounds made by his Rod.
Adieu, vain world, I have seen enough of thee.
And I am careless what thou sayest of me.
Thy smiles I wish not
Nor thy frowns I fear.
I am now at rest, My head lies quiet here.
O time is a stream, flowing rapidly onwards
As life is advancing, we rush without fear.
On temptation, rough sea, and pleasures bland wave,
Till we sink in it's current
And reach the dark grave.
I love wandering around cemeteries, especially old ones. Too bad BC is actually a fairly young place; the oldest headstones you'll find are probably the 1850s.
On preview: the only problem with being cremated, which is what I want, is that I won't have a cool headstone for people to read.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
