Sponsors

little coffins Email Print

By 8ackgr0und N015e
10/07/2006 06:18:31 PM EST

Many years ago, I went to Taos, New Mexico and found myself standing outside an adobe church much like the one Stieglitz photographed in his famous picture.  I walked across the road to find a good angle for a photo.  After I took my picture, I realized I was standing in the entrance of a modest cemetery, so I wandered in.

About half way to the back, I noticed most of the head stones were very small.  Then I looked at the dates on the headstones and understood why.  Most of the dead were children.  As I turned around towards the entrance I saw all the dead children I had walked past without noticing.  It was very disturbing.  I got out of there as fast as I could and pushed it out of my mind.

I haven't thought about that for almost 20 years.

The news about the Amish girls didn't really penetrate at first.  I spend too much time enthralled by the trappings of our culture.  But I started reading about the funerals and the memories of that cemetery came rushing back.  It was a comment about the little coffins that opened the flood gate.  I realized I hate little coffins.  

I wonder how many little coffins we have helped put into the earth because we were busy being enthralled with the bread and circus of our society?  How many little coffins have we walked past and never noticed in our headlong rush to the next big thing?  How many little coffins have been nailed shut in our name?  

The implications of that line of thought overwhelms me.  Then I read about the response of the Amish to this horrific crime and I am humbled.  If I was half as brave as those little girls, I would be twice the man I am today.

"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just,
that His justice cannot sleep forever." -- Thomas Jefferson



KEYWORDS: , , , , ,

Sign up for a Complimentary Member Account... Join the community! It's fast. And it'll allow you to take advantage of all this site's great features!

< How to Hit Diebold's Achilles Heel | Seismic evidence for North Korean Nuke? I'm skeptical. >
 Display:
little coffins | 1 comment (1 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
little coffins (none / 0)
I cried when I read this.

by Hans on 10/08/2006 08:07:31 PM EST

little coffins | 1 comment (1 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
 Display: