The Shadow of the Rock

10/24/2015

In the shadow of the big rock, the clearing is surrounded by the scent of pine trees that have grown tall and protective. The old trail to the entrance has become a rain rutted road that takes it leave from the well travelled route below.

There are several visible markers. Only two are of importance. Each, a subtle reminder of life’s fragility. One not living beyond his birth, and nearby his grandfather watches over him. Their lives etched in the heart. Passed to the next generation of family story tellers who will visit in the shadow of the rock.

Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Prompt - October 21, 2015 - Write a story about a day at the cemetery.

6 Comments

Norah Colvin link

10/25/2015 04:39:47 am

It's sad, Anne. One has a long life and one doesn't make it to birth. It is so in many families. We never know how many days, hours or minutes are ours, we must just enjoy the moments we have.

Ann E Robson link

10/25/2015 03:01:15 pm

I couldn't agree more. Live life to the fullest and take no one or nothing for granted.

Charli Mills

10/26/2015 08:13:51 pm

One would think that discovering life's fragility is unbearable, yet there is something life-affirming in death. The sadness contained in the generations before and after know a certain joy in living with that fragility. Today we seem so "plugged in" yet really, have we ever been so disconnected? We need the wisdom of our pioneering ancestors.

Ann E Robson link

10/26/2015 09:03:43 pm

Their wisdom guides us in so many ways if we allow it to penetrate the walls. Reading about our pioneering ancestors gives us only a tidbit of insight as to how they lived and survived. It is only when you actually embrace those ways and use them in your day to day life do we realize some of what they endured.

It's interesting, the amount of people, young and old, learning how to can/preserve their food. A pleasant chore we have always done (forever it seems) using recipes passed to us through many generations. Yes, we tweak them a bit, but the end result of being able to provide food from our own hands is very gratifying. Knowing I learned this art from my ancestors is a privilege I am always thankful for.

Charli Mills

10/26/2015 09:52:41 pm

That's so true, Ann. It's one thing to read about what they did, but entirely another to live it. Going out into the woods like so many generations before me, I feel so connected, so alive. To find out that Boulder Creek Cemetery was for a logging camp instantly connected me to them. I've noticed a resurgence in wanting to garden and grow and preserve. Not all is lost to digital screens.

Ann E Robson link

10/27/2015 07:06:55 am

Mother Nature has a way of grounding us. Relaxing in her beauty and smells enhances our visionary senses to be more in tune to what is around us. We get to experience what others may not see. Connecting to those who went before us. To delve into their history. To find their path and tell their story.

Unfortunately, many do not see the relevance of old tomb stones and wooden markers. They are passed by without a thought of how much we can learn from them. It is up to the connected ones to not only find and research these locations, but ultimately share their findings. Bringing to life the history of the area and the people who are found in these off road cemeteries. Telling their story told so they are not forgotten.

The Boulder Creek Cemetery like all cemeteries, definitely opens up volumes for the inquisitive mind. Good luck with your research. It will be an interesting journey, that is for sure!

The Shadow of the Rock

Leave a Reply.

Archives

Categories

​​

The Shadow of the Rock

Leave a Reply.

Archives

Categories