Resting in Peace

It was an eerie place; not necessarily uncomfortable, but a place you’d go crazy if you thought about your surroundings too much. I didn’t mind it though. Along with all of the sadness, there was sort of a comfort that came with it. Jake felt the same way I did. That’s why he came with me to the graveyard.

 We sat there, staring at my grandmother’s grave for a while. I didn’t know if it was disrespectful, but after I thought about her for a while, I thought about the other people that were there with her. I didn’t want to know how they got there. That would just be upsetting. I like to tell myself they all went peacefully and that it was their time. I know it isn’t true, but I still tell myself that. That’s where the comfort comes from; thinking everyone’s at peace.

Jake and I are just lying on the grass, watching the sun set. It’s nice to not be alone here, it would make it a little creepier to be alone. My thoughts would be too loud for the people underneath. All of a sudden we here a noise: nothing ominous though, just a group of teenagers. They start laughing and horseplay as they walk through the aisles of graves, and I suddenly get very upset. I not only found it disrespectful, but just offensive in general.

Jake saw the look on my face as my eyes followed the teenagers. He gave me a sly smile, and pushed me down so I was flat on my back and the kids couldn’t see us. All of a sudden these ghostly and haunting noises start coming out of Jake’s mouth, directed straight towards the group of teenagers. In an instant they’re running towards their car, not eager to find out what spirits they disrupted.

We had a good laugh about it, and then I started to think. Would the spirits be offended, thinking we mocked them? I hope not. It was more just to protect them from people who didn’t understand the purpose of a place like this. People can have a little piece of the one they love forever by coming here, it gives them something tangible to hold onto. Although I still think of it as eerie, it’s more of in a fond way. I may be naïve, but all I want is the term Rest In Peace to really mean something.