Journal entry by Al Negstad — 35 minutes ago
Sometimes scenes flash by in a glance out the car window leaving the seer to make up an accompanying story. Asked if my frequent trips to The Little House On The Prairie and back are boring I reply "O I have much to think about." Today I noticed that just west of The Cities there was more ponding in the fields than when I went, indicative of heavy rain. Little observations like that are enough to intrigue me because I'm easily amused.
Typically I leave and enter the metro area on Highway #212. It's an 'undecided' highway, not certain if it's two lane or four. Leaving Eden Prairie it's six lanes but soon down to four and then a bit further it becomes two. Not certain that two is appropriate it alternates between two and four until a few miles west of Glenco it decides it is really a two lane road and stays that way until a brief stretch in Watertown, S.D.
Shouldering right up to a two lane stretch is a small United Church of Christ, Church. In the style of country churches, the cemetery is immediately adjacent to the west side of the church. If there ever were any trees between the road and the cemetery they are long gone. The land slopes down from the church toward the cemetery with a slight tilt toward the highway. That's where I saw him.
Mindful of the car I was following and being very careful not to cross the centerline into oncoming traffic I glanced at the cemetery. Sitting on the ground next to a grave marked with a flat marker, bouquet of flowers lying on the ground, was a middle-aged(?) man. He was in full sunshine, perhaps 3 rods from the road, sitting still, staring down at the marker. There was no sign that he was aware of a steady steam of cars passing by.
Who is buried there? Immediately I thought "his wife." If so, how old was she? When did she die? It didn't appear to be fresh grave. What took her life? Or, might it have been his child and he came here alone to grieve? How old was he/she? Might it have been another person? Certainly the deceased was loved. His presence and posture tugged at my heart strings..."I know the feeling."
Clearly, he too, lives in the land of grief. Yes, there are legion in this land.
Typically I leave and enter the metro area on Highway #212. It's an 'undecided' highway, not certain if it's two lane or four. Leaving Eden Prairie it's six lanes but soon down to four and then a bit further it becomes two. Not certain that two is appropriate it alternates between two and four until a few miles west of Glenco it decides it is really a two lane road and stays that way until a brief stretch in Watertown, S.D.
Shouldering right up to a two lane stretch is a small United Church of Christ, Church. In the style of country churches, the cemetery is immediately adjacent to the west side of the church. If there ever were any trees between the road and the cemetery they are long gone. The land slopes down from the church toward the cemetery with a slight tilt toward the highway. That's where I saw him.
Mindful of the car I was following and being very careful not to cross the centerline into oncoming traffic I glanced at the cemetery. Sitting on the ground next to a grave marked with a flat marker, bouquet of flowers lying on the ground, was a middle-aged(?) man. He was in full sunshine, perhaps 3 rods from the road, sitting still, staring down at the marker. There was no sign that he was aware of a steady steam of cars passing by.
Who is buried there? Immediately I thought "his wife." If so, how old was she? When did she die? It didn't appear to be fresh grave. What took her life? Or, might it have been his child and he came here alone to grieve? How old was he/she? Might it have been another person? Certainly the deceased was loved. His presence and posture tugged at my heart strings..."I know the feeling."
Clearly, he too, lives in the land of grief. Yes, there are legion in this land.
Takk for alt,
Al
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