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Post by Jaga on Nov 1, 2014 13:20:48 GMT -7
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jeanne
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 544
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Post by jeanne on Nov 1, 2014 16:19:07 GMT -7
Jaga,
I became inspired by the pictures I saw online of Poles celebrating All Saints' Day by decorating the graves of their loved ones, so seven years ago when my father died (his parents had immigrated from Poland) I began my own tradition of visiting his grave on All Saints' Day. Two years ago, my mother also passed, so now I visit them both. They were both WWII veterans (he: Navy pharmacist's mate, she: Navy nurse), so they are buried side-by-side at a National Cemetery here in New England. In this particular cemetery for veterans only, all the gravestones are flat on the ground, and they limit decorations under strict guidelines, but I still can bring a bouquet of flowers. I didn't make it there this year, mostly because it is a two and a half hour ride from my home, and I couldn't do it this weekend. But, I look forward to continuing to visit on All Saints' Day in the future...
Jeanne
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Post by Jaga on Nov 1, 2014 18:31:47 GMT -7
Jeanne, thanks for sharing it with us. It is sad that you cannot really decorate the graves, still if you can come and visit and bring the flowers, it is really good. I wish, Halloween would inspire people to take from other cultures and remember about these who passed away. It scares me that it I would pass away, nobody would ever visit me.... I showed the movie(below) today to my daughter, Ela. She is taking Spanish this year and the teacher taught them about Dia de Muertos in Mexico. This was also inspirational for my daughter.
Below is a short but good movie about All Saints Day and these beautiful chrysathemas:
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Post by Jaga on Nov 1, 2014 18:38:28 GMT -7
below is a different movie with beautiful Polish music, please watch if you have 5 min:
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Post by JustJohn or JJ on Nov 1, 2014 20:48:22 GMT -7
Jaga, I became inspired by the pictures I saw online of Poles celebrating All Saints' Day by decorating the graves of their loved ones, so seven years ago when my father died (his parents had immigrated from Poland) I began my own tradition of visiting his grave on All Saints' Day. Two years ago, my mother also passed, so now I visit them both. They were both WWII veterans (he: Navy pharmacist's mate, she: Navy nurse), so they are buried side-by-side at a National Cemetery here in New England. In this particular cemetery for veterans only, all the gravestones are flat on the ground, and they limit decorations under strict guidelines, but I still can bring a bouquet of flowers. I didn't make it there this year, mostly because it is a two and a half hour ride from my home, and I couldn't do it this weekend. But, I look forward to continuing to visit on All Saints' Day in the future... Jeanne Jeanne, What Veterans Cemetery are your folks in? I have my reservations in at Boscawen, NH Veterans Cemetery along with my wife. |
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jeanne
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 544
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Post by jeanne on Nov 2, 2014 6:59:26 GMT -7
JJ,
They are at Borne, on Cape Cod. Does the cemetery at Boscawen have standing gravestones, or are they flat on the ground like Borne? 'Just wondering if the national cemeteries are consistent with that...
Jeanne
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jeanne
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 544
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Post by jeanne on Nov 2, 2014 9:57:49 GMT -7
Jeanne, thanks for sharing it with us. It is sad that you cannot really decorate the graves, still if you can come and visit and bring the flowers, it is really good. I wish, Halloween would inspire people to take from other cultures and remember about these who passed away. It scares me that it I would pass away, nobody would ever visit me.... I showed the movie(below) today to my daughter, Ela. She is taking Spanish this year and the teacher taught them about Dia de Muertos in Mexico. This was also inspirational for my daughter. Jaga, I loved these two videos (and the Polish music on the second!)...thank you for posting them! While Americans don't (usually) visit their loved ones' graves on All Saints' Day (...except for people like me!), we do have the tradition of visiting the graves on Memorial Day at the end of May. We are not totally without respect for the dead! We remember them and visit the graves, we just do it in a different context. I will admit, though, that I love the Polish tradition, and I can understand how if you always celebrated that way in your younger life, that you would miss it greatly!! And don't worry, I'm sure that if you passed away, your family would visit your grave...it is a part of U.S. culture!! Jeanne |
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Post by JustJohn or JJ on Nov 2, 2014 11:48:54 GMT -7
JJ, They are at Borne, on Cape Cod. Does the cemetery at Boscawen have standing gravestones, or are they flat on the ground like Borne? 'Just wondering if the national cemeteries are consistent with that... Jeanne The one in Boscawen has standing gravestones.  www.nhsvc.com/gallery |
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Post by Jaga on Nov 2, 2014 13:10:41 GMT -7
Jeanne,
thanks for your wonderful post and pictures. We went to the church today and there were more people than usual (maybe since we got an extra hour) and also because of the holiday. The priest was talking that we want to forget that we die but we do.... and it would be nice to visit the graves.
I do not want to make it political and anti-american issue. I think that europeans and poles sometimes just live in the past too more.
Still, it is good to relax and pause sometimes....
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Post by karl on Nov 2, 2014 14:26:08 GMT -7
Jeanne, thanks for your wonderful post and pictures. We went to the church today and there were more people than usual (maybe since we got an extra hour) and also because of the holiday. The priest was talking that we want to forget that we die but we do.... and it would be nice to visit the graves. I do not want to make it political and anti-american issue. I think that europeans and poles sometimes just live in the past too more. Still, it is good to relax and pause sometimes.... Jaga Fear not with speaking your mind, for it is your right and it is best to speak truth, for to be silent is an aberration of the truth. What you have said gave cause for my mind to think of difference between European and Polish that we live in the past. Perhaps you are right, for perhaps we do remember too much of the past and not enough to the future. The present is very important for that is the here and now with the reality of living. Personally my self will very seldom visit a grave site of a loved one departed,, for their memory is locked within the confines of my heart. Within this, I wish to remember them as they lived, it is just too difficult to see them in death and with their names upon a cold stone. Perhaps others may see my self as strange in this manner, I simply can not help it, for I am clinger and do not relinquish my loved ones easily. For there are too few of us and each one lost, becomes too much. Even the sound of organ music is too dreary, for it is lifeless and cold as the stone emages of the dead that adorn withen some cemeteries and churches for the living is warmth and for the dead, is cold. To each though, is to them alone for their requirement in life, for my self would never condemn a person with wishes to visit with their respects to a loved one lost in death as they are buried. For this is their right in life and as such needs be of great respect to them. Karl |
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jeanne
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 544
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Post by jeanne on Nov 2, 2014 18:26:05 GMT -7
The one in Boscawen has standing gravestones. JJ, Here's a link to a picture of the cemetery at Bourne. When you are there, all you see are rolling green hills around you, though the hills are filled with graves. A very different image than the Boscawen Cemetery...but I think both are very moving and dignified. www.anchorrising.com/barnacles/012856.html Jeanne |
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Post by pieter on Nov 3, 2014 11:20:35 GMT -7
Jaga,
The two video's about All Saints Day in Poland remind me of the past, when I was in Poland. I remember we did went to a Cemetery there were my granddad and other family members were buried. I don't excactly remember if we went there at All Saints Day. Probably not, because most often we were in Poland during the Summer holidays, or other holidays like Easter or Christmas. All Saints Day is a wonderful and meaningful tradition. I think it is less visible or less celebrated in the Netherlands, because Roman-Catholics were often a minmority in a Protestant environment, and Calvinist (Dutch Reformed people) don't celebrate All Saints Day.
Proably All Saints Day was and is celebrated in Roman-Catholic majority area's in the South, like Brabant and Limburg, and Roman-Catholic enclaves in other parts of the country. The place I grew up as a child and teenager was a predominantly Dutch Reformed (Calvinist) area.
It is nice that you decided for yourself to start the All Saints Day celebration in the USA Jeanne. Do you celebrate it Jaga, with your Lutheran husband and daughter? Or for your own family and sake?
Cheers,
Pieter
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