I wanted to re-post this from off of my family blog. It is Memorial Day on Monday. Since losing Dawson and understanding the concepts below, I get that this great holiday IS a time for us to feel closer to those that we love who have passed on. In our faith we believe that the body is there, but the spirit is not. However, we also believe that the spirits that have gone on before us are all around us. Then if we couple that with the theory below about the sacredness of the grave and the body that resides there, how can we not also believe that when we are visiting the graves of those we love they are there with us. Not in the ground, but by our side. Feeling our love. Through our remembering we also open the doorway to feel them.
I have felt Dawson around a lot. Not as much as at first. He is busy. He is working on the other side of the veil. However, in a moment he will swoop in and nearly knock me off my feet with his presence.
This Memorial Day, if it is your tradition to visit the graves of loved ones, think about this. I know you will FEEL them there. I KNOW IT!
If it is not your tradition, which really, it hasn't been mine, until now, to go from cemetery to cemetery leaving flowers or just stopping by to spend a quite moment remembering, I encourage you to do it.
Now, I will leave you to the rest of the post. At the bottom, after the pictures, a profound lesson about the purpose of these graves was taught to my son. Something that changed my feelings and brought comfort to my heart!
Mallory was not at Dawsons funeral. She was really struggling with anxiety. We haven't talked to her much about spirit and body separation. It is a bit beyond her. Right now she knows that Dawson is in Heaven. We have tried to show pictures or explain what Heaven is. I think she is getting it a bit more now.
Aunt Deanne Lindstrom, an amazing woman and inspiration to me, came the day that Dawson passed away. We talked about trying to help Mal understand. Deanne gave me the idea of sending balloons to Dawson. Let them go and watch them until you can't see them anymore and tell Mal they are going up to D so he can play with them. We loved the idea! Then, on the day of Dawson's funeral I noticed a huge basket of beautiful flowers with balloons attached...from Deanne of course! She is so wonderful!
On Sunday morning we were heading home and we stopped by the cemetery with balloons.
I don't think Mal had any idea what the flowers on the ground meant or why we were standing right there, but one day, when she can understand, we will show her these pictures, and many more that were taken at the funeral.
The kids both drew pictures on their balloons for Dawson.....
Jake wrote him a cute little note!
First Mal let hers go....
Then Jake.
We watched them until they were gone. Mal, of course, wanted hers back as soon as it was gone, but she was alright when she thought that Dawson might be playing with it.
A couple of days before Dawson passed away Jake asked Ryan why people have to be burried. Kind of a hard thing to understand and a little bit difficult to think about up until that point for me.
Ryan's answer provided insight to me and a great comfort. He talked to Jake about how bodies are placed in a special bed called a casket. It is soft and clean and very special. Then that casket is placed in a vault. The vault is a box that seals and holds that casket safe. The vault, we found later, is 2,000 lbs. The lid weighs 500lbs. It fits on top of the box like a puzzle and seals and protects the casket. Then that vault is burried deep in the ground. That ground is dedicated, by the power of the Priesthood, and becomes sacred. It is a sacred place holding a sacred body safe until the Savior comes again and Dawson's body will be called from that sacred place and his spirit and body will be rejoined in the Resurrection.
How great is that thought? I was so afraid of this part of the whole process. How could I bear it?! However, with the thought of putting my sweet Dawson's sacred body in a sacred place, to be held until we can be together again in the flesh...What a comfort! It certainly changed my perspective of the cemetary! This sacred ground holds a treasure for me. When we were able to dress his little body, we did it with the thought in mind that we were dressing his sacred little body for our next meeting! And he is wearing a white suit! Suit coat and all, thanks to his Dad, who would not give up the search until we found one! Oh, he looked so handsome! I can't wait for that day! This day is not an "if it happens" but a "When it happens", that brings a lot of comfort to me and makes me even more grateful for our Savior! Because he overcame death, we too, every one of us, will receive the same blessing!
Alright, now go put some flowers by the headstone of someone you know and love! While you are there, think of what that dedicated piece of land represents! No, their spirits are not there, but their sacred bodies, are! Think about how grateful you are for the Savior and the Resurrection and then make a few goals for yourself, just little changes that help you stick to the course back to our Father in Heaven! Then think a bit about what that amazing day of reunion, in the flesh, will be like! Amazing!
