Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Finality of Peace

The more I thought about the prompt for this week, the more I realized that peace is really pretty fleeting.

And it should be. Too much is left to do, to see, to learn, for any of us to find peace while we're still able to draw breath. Only in death should we find peace.

And that made me think about cemeteries.

I took these photos in Scotland a couple of years ago. The gravestones there are a metaphor for the triumph of life over death, because they're covered with lichens and mosses growing right on the dead stone.
 Maeshowe on Orkney might or might not have been a grave. All that's known for sure is that it's very old and that on the equinoxes, the sun shines right in through that door you see and strikes the center of the back wall. (We were there for the autumnal equinox.) A legend says that a group of Norsemen once took shelter here during a storm and that two of them went insane before they were able to leave.
I entered by bending at the waist to walk through a tunnel, then, when I reached the open part under the dome, turned around and walked right back out. Did not like the way it felt. (This was before I heard the legend.)

The graves at Beauly Abby, like many in Europe, were in the floor of the church. I was taught as a child not to walk on graves and it's still difficult for me. Yet the people who attended services here obviously had no problem with it.
Balnuaran of Clava was pretty definitely a grave, and very, very old. The feeling of peace here was amazing. Perhaps the stone-age souls buried here have really found their rest.


7 comments:

  1. Nothing like a stroll through an ancient graveyard with legends at 1:15 am.

    Interesting, but I do wish I had waited til morning to check this one out.

    The pictures are wonderful, too.

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  2. I liked this post a lot. Some lovely pictures. I love to walk through cemeteries and graveyards. They are so full of stories and memories.

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  3. I enjoyed your post Angela. I have a fondness of cemeteries, their histories, and the architecture of the stones, and mausoleums. The stones with the new growth on them are beautiful. I am not sure about having to bend at the waist to scrunch through an archway to get anywhere though, I like to be able to run if need be. ;-)

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  4. Very interesting. I never really thought about it in quite that way but you are absolutely right. Great post!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

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  5. SUch a different view of peace! For me, you are absolutely right. I have found peace in my life but it is always fleeting. Or If find peace about one issue, only to have chaos about another. The peace that passes all understanding will probably only be achieved through my earthly death.

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  6. WOW those pics are AMAZING..and i get what you mean about stone age souls buried find their rest. Recently visited a grave site; Coco Belle, a Cherokee Indian Princess, even put a rock on her Cairn. Yup "only in death should we find peace" death to self..pride has a way of puffing us up..and peace is not found easily with self consumption. Goes down like honey...but bitter in the belly.

    WOW the legends one could spin a book out of it! This was absolutely amazing..great read my friend!((hugs))

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  7. Unusual ... but thought provoking. Never thought of a graveyard being some thing bringing peace....

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