Tears in a Cemetery

He knelt there three steps away from me as I heard him weeping. I thought the Provo cemetery was going to be a great idea and I was excited after I researched the rich history behind it. I decided to visit the site by myself but as I explored I came across the infant section. When you think of cemeteries, one may think of old people buried beneath. But these were children who were taken so early.

As I was taking a photograph of this "Angel Garden" and the statue overlooking the children's headstones a father came up behind me I could hear his tears, feel his heartbreak and sorrow, and could do nothing but stand there and bow my head. You may be able to see in this picture a wrapped up Spiderman costume. The father gently picked up the Spiderman costume, picked up some of the other toys, and then left.

I walked away and could not help the tears that were then coming. My heart broke for this morning father. 

After composing myself, I was able to take a few more from the infant section of the cemetery. This one had a similar tone to the other ones. These children are not forgotten by their families on the "child designed" holiday of Halloween. There were many tokens of candy on the headstones.

In this picture a tiny KitKat can be seen on the edge and someone has delicately placed pine cones on the border. 

The next two photos involve perspective and show the toys that have been left on the headstones on Halloween. I came to the cemetery and did not expect to find what I saw. Death is a scary thing and hard to face.

I love the rocks on the forefront headstone that say, "LUV U DEX" and then the imprints of the hands. Each token is a little piece of the child and what they may have liked. 

Once again, stories and personalities are being shown on these children's headstones. So many of their stories personally touched me. 

This last one warmed my heart after an emotional hour in the cemetery. 

This is the Stubbs couple. On their tombstones are things engraved of what they both like- their interests. There is a golf stick, a duck, a sewing machine, a guitar, sports equipment, and cowboy boots. I felt the warmth and their stories being told by one simple tombstone and a statue. 

I no where near expected to find the stories that I did in the Provo Cemetery. I felt sorrow, warmth, heartbreak, and happiness all within that hour. This site was dedicated in 1853!!! The history is felt when you step on its grounds. Some of the pioneers sent by Brigham Young were moved to this site since other Provo cemeteries were no longer usable. I love places where deep history is felt and stories, some tragic and some heart warming, are abound.