“The beauty of life is that it bears fruit long after life itself has come to an end.” – Henri Nouwen
When I was a child, my father used to take me to Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis to tend the graves of my great-great-great grandfather (a Civil War Soldier), grandparents and brother. He would tell stories about his mother, who lovingly cared for the body of my oldest brother after he died when he was two weeks old.
Now, I am the parent, and I take my children to tend my parents’ graves. When we reflect and remember together, I become aware of ways that my parents continue to bear fruit in our lives. Now that they have joined that “great cloud of witnesses,” mysteriously, and mostly in the silence of our hearts, the conversation continues.
Not everyone finds comfort in cemeteries. Each journey is unique and what might be helpful for one may not be helpful for another. But many find strength and solace by discovering their own ways to connect, to continue the conversation with and about our loved ones. As J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, “The road goes ever on.” We need not travel alone.
– Chaplain Jenny Schroedel
Optage Hospice Chaplain Jenny Schroedel facilitates grief groups across PHS sites and in the larger community. Jenny is also an author, most recently of Naming The Child: Hope-filled Reflections on Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death.
If you are interested in joining a group or establishing one at your community, contact Optage Hospice or call 651-746-8200. Optage is the home and community services division of Presbyterian Homes & Services.