My sister died a few years ago and I visit her grave several times a year. My sister and I were close so I like to put flowers on the grave and make sure that it looks nice and I guess when I go to the cemetery I feel a connection with her that maybe I don’t feel anywhere else.
One day as I got out of my car I noticed an elderly man laying on the ground, it was obvious that he had fell so I ran over to him and helped him to his feet. He was okay; he used a cane to walk and had just tripped on the curb. I picked up his cane and his hat and put my hand on his shoulder to lend support as he got himself composed.
We talked for a few minutes; he was there to visit his wife who had just recently died. I noticed that though physically okay the man was emotionally upset. I walked with him to the site of his wife’s grave and we talked. I told him about my sister and how upset I was when she passed.
The man, his name was Carl opened up to me; we sat next to each other on a bench for the better part of an hour as he told me about his life with Sandra. He told me about his children and grand children, about the house they lived in and a dream vacation to Colorado Springs with the entire family.
When I left the cemetery that day I felt good. I knew that I had helped Carl through a difficult moment but I don’t think that Carl knew that he had helped me. I found out that day what kind of person I really was; I was having a bad day. Despite my personal troubles I reached out to help someone in need. It felt really good to do that and made my problems seem less important and more manageable.
Carl goes to the cemetery everyday that it’s nice, he doesn’t live far away, he’s says the walk does him good but I know that he really just longs to be near his wife. I see Carl often and consider him a friend even though we rarely have more than a few minutes of conversation I always make sure that he’s doing alright.
Carl’s eighty eight years old and is doing well, he seems happy but if he ever stops going to the cemetery I will know that he is where he really wants to be; by Sandra’s side again.