While we were in Northern Virginia, I made the trip to Arlington Cemetery with the Christmas wreaths for the graves. My father, my step-father and my husband are all buried at Arlington and it's an annual trip to decorate their graves for Christmas.
My step-father's grave is fairly easy to find (he's buried with his first wife). My father is buried near the old ampitheater and also fairly easy to find but my husband's grave is in a newer section across from the Pentagon. When he was first there it was very easy to find his grave - three headstones apart from the others by a tree on MacArthur Blvd. Over the past 6 years, however, Arlington has been filling in the area and it's harder and harder each time I go to find his grave. So many new graves each time.
In fact, there were two full-military funerals while we were there. The crack of the rifles echoed over the area, the white horses were pulling the caisson and the flags were snapping in the breeze. It is so moving, so sad and, for me, very emotional. There is such pain at Arlington - and such beauty. And no matter what time of the year I go (and I go often!) there are visitors walking around the cemetery - the Tomb of the Unknowns, JFK's gravesite, RFK's grave and, of course, Arlington House itself. President Taft's grave is there as are so many famous (and not-so-famous) people.
As I said in an earlier post - I like cemeteries and, to me, there is not another one like Arlington. It is so beautiful and so sad.
My step-father's grave is fairly easy to find (he's buried with his first wife). My father is buried near the old ampitheater and also fairly easy to find but my husband's grave is in a newer section across from the Pentagon. When he was first there it was very easy to find his grave - three headstones apart from the others by a tree on MacArthur Blvd. Over the past 6 years, however, Arlington has been filling in the area and it's harder and harder each time I go to find his grave. So many new graves each time.
In fact, there were two full-military funerals while we were there. The crack of the rifles echoed over the area, the white horses were pulling the caisson and the flags were snapping in the breeze. It is so moving, so sad and, for me, very emotional. There is such pain at Arlington - and such beauty. And no matter what time of the year I go (and I go often!) there are visitors walking around the cemetery - the Tomb of the Unknowns, JFK's gravesite, RFK's grave and, of course, Arlington House itself. President Taft's grave is there as are so many famous (and not-so-famous) people.
As I said in an earlier post - I like cemeteries and, to me, there is not another one like Arlington. It is so beautiful and so sad.
2 comments:
You brought a tear to my eye. I've never lost a loved one who was buried at Arlington, but I do know others who have - yourself included. Your description of the experience was lovely and unsettling all at the same time. Bittersweet - as so many things in life are. Hugs to you.
Let me know next time you go, huh?
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