Preface:
MemorialDayisatimetorememberthosewhohavegiventheirlivesinservicetotheircountry,butitalsoservesasareminderofthepowerofmemorytoconnectustothepast.Inthisstory,wefollowthejourneyofayoungwomanasshegrappleswithloss,loveandtheimportanceofremembrance.
Paragraph1:
Itwasawarmspringday,andthesunwasshiningbrightlyasRachelsteppedoutofhercarandmadeherwaytowardsthecemetery.ShehadbeencominghereonMemorialDayforaslongasshecouldremember,butthisyearwasdifferent.Thisyear,shewascomingalone.
Paragraph2:
Rachel'sfatherhaddiedincombatwhenshewasjustachild,andeveryyearsincethen,sheandhermotherhadcometovisithisgrave.Butlastyear,hermotherhadpassedawaytoo,leavingRacheltocarryonthetraditionbyherself.
Paragraph3:
Asshewalkedamongtherowsofheadstones,Rachelfeltasenseofcalmwashoverher.Shefeltlikeshewassurroundedbyghosts,buttheyweretheghostsofherownpast,ofallthepeopleshehadlovedandlost.
Paragraph4:
Andthen,shesawhim.David.Herhighschoolsweetheart,whohaddiedinacaraccidentjustafewyearsaftertheygraduated.Shehadn'tbeenheretovisithiminyears,butseeinghisnameetchedintothegranitebroughtbackafloodofmemories.
Paragraph5:
Rachelsatdownnexttohisgraveandclosedhereyes.Sherememberedtheirfirstkiss,underthestarsonthebeach.Sherememberedhislaughter,andhowithadalwaysmadeherfeellikeeverythingwasgoingtobeokay.
Paragraph6:
Butthen,thememoriesturneddark.Sherememberedthedayhedied,thewaythenewshadshatteredherworld.Sherememberedthefuneral,andhowshehadcrieduntiltherewerenotearsleft.
Paragraph7:
Itwasthenthatshenoticedthewomanstandingafewfeetawayfromher.ShewasaboutRachel'sage,withshortblondehairandasadexpressiononherface.
Paragraph8:
"Hi,"Rachelsaid,unsureofwhatelsetosay.
Paragraph9:
Thewomanturnedtoher,andRachelcouldseethatshewasholdingasmallbouquetofflowers.
Paragraph10:
"I'msorry,"thewomansaid."Ididn'tmeantointrude.Iwasjustvisitingmyhusband'sgrave."
Paragraph11:
Rachelnodded."Iunderstand.I'mhereforthesamereason."
Paragraph12:
Theysatinsilenceforamoment,eachlostintheirownthoughts.
Paragraph13:
"I'mSamantha,"thewomansaidfinally.
Paragraph14:
"I'mRachel,"shereplied.
Paragraph15:
Andso,theytalked.Theytalkedabouttheirhusbands,aboutthememoriestheyhadsharedwiththem.Theytalkedaboutthepainofloss,andthehopethatsomedaytheymightfindhappinessagain.
Paragraph16:
Astheytalked,Rachelfeltsomethingshiftinsideofher.Shehadbeensofocusedonherowngriefthatshehadforgottenthatshewasn'taloneinit.Shehadforgottenthattherewereotherpeopleouttherewhounderstoodwhatshewasgoingthrough.
Paragraph17:
Eventually,theysaidtheirgoodbyesandRachelmadeherwaybacktohercar.Shefeltlightersomehow,likeaweighthadbeenliftedoffhershoulders.
Paragraph18:
Asshedrovehome,Rachelthoughtaboutallthepeopleshehadlostovertheyears.Herfather,hermother,David.Butinsteadoffeelingsad,shefeltgrateful.Gratefulforthetimeshehadspentwiththem,forthememoriestheyhadleftbehind.
Paragraph19:
Andso,shedecidedtostartanewtradition.EveryMemorialDay,shewouldcomebackhere,tothisplacewheresomanyofherlovedoneswerelaidtorest.Andshewouldrememberthem,notwithtears,butwithlove.
Paragraph20:
Shewouldbringflowersandtellstories,andshewouldsharetheirmemorieswithanyonewhowouldlisten.Becausethatwasthebestwaytohonortheirlives.Bykeepingtheirmemoriesalive.
Paragraph21:
Asshewalkedupthestepstoherfrontdoor,Rachelfeltasenseofpeacesettleoverher.Sheknewthattheroadaheadwouldstillbedifficult,butshealsoknewthatshewasn'talone.Shehadhermemories,andshehadtheknowledgethatsomewhereoutthere,otherswererememberingtheirlovedonestoo.
Paragraph22:
Andso,assheclosedhereyesthatnight,Rachelsaidasilentprayerofthanks.Thanksfortheloveshehadknown,andthanksforthememoriesthatwouldalwaysbewithher.
