It usually takes the Amish gravedigger three days to ready a grave. And there is no searching around for space in a family plot, no worries about hitting another coffin or placing one coffin on top of another. The Amish don’t have to buy a tombstone in advance to stake their claim near family members.
Hi, Mary. This is a comment for "You Didn't Keep Score?" though I seem to be at the St Brendan's comment site, which I also loved. "You Didn't Keep Score" is beautiful and moving, touched me to tears. Thank you!
My wife was on Bob Ray's staff. Recently the staff got together to celebrate his birthday. We had an occasion to visit his graveside at Resthaven cemetery. I could not help hearing comments about his simple grave sight and how it was as common and simple as he lived.. He was for his neighbors, just a common person.
"Lay this body anywhere, and take no trouble over it. One thing only do I ask of you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be." -- Monica, Saint Augustine's mother, "The Confessions"
...though even that sounds a bit more prideful than what you describe.
Lovely. I wonder if some of this cooperation is a natural outgrowth of pacifism? I see much the same in the Quaker community I've recently joined in Pennsylvania. Violence is perhaps the extreme form of competition, and nonviolence tends only to pick battles that hinge on justice. Thanks for making me think.
Your "Amish gravedigger" opening made me wonder -- don't Amish dig graves collectively, too? A friend of mine who converted to Amish some years ago said that all the men in his community participate in digging graves -- this is part of the memorial service. I suppose customs differ between communities.
Elizabeth Cunningham
2 hrs ago
Hi, Mary. This is a comment for "You Didn't Keep Score?" though I seem to be at the St Brendan's comment site, which I also loved. "You Didn't Keep Score" is beautiful and moving, touched me to tears. Thank you!
Deba Leach
2 hrs ago
Just “swell,” this account and point of view. Thanks.
My wife was on Bob Ray's staff. Recently the staff got together to celebrate his birthday. We had an occasion to visit his graveside at Resthaven cemetery. I could not help hearing comments about his simple grave sight and how it was as common and simple as he lived.. He was for his neighbors, just a common person.
Reminds me of one of the quotes in my collection:
"Lay this body anywhere, and take no trouble over it. One thing only do I ask of you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be." -- Monica, Saint Augustine's mother, "The Confessions"
...though even that sounds a bit more prideful than what you describe.
Thank you, Mary. A lovely story with an important message that we all need to hear these days.
Lovely. I wonder if some of this cooperation is a natural outgrowth of pacifism? I see much the same in the Quaker community I've recently joined in Pennsylvania. Violence is perhaps the extreme form of competition, and nonviolence tends only to pick battles that hinge on justice. Thanks for making me think.
Your "Amish gravedigger" opening made me wonder -- don't Amish dig graves collectively, too? A friend of mine who converted to Amish some years ago said that all the men in his community participate in digging graves -- this is part of the memorial service. I suppose customs differ between communities.
Thank you for your responses. I fixed the glitch that was directing your comments to my previous post.