Ramblings in the Night......Decoration Day

Ramblings in the Night

Decoration Day

            Growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, we held to a lot of Traditions. One of the biggest is Decoration Day. For those of you that don’t know, Decoration Day, is the day we honored our dead. We decorate the graves with flowers and wreaths.

            We didn’t go to the local flower shop to get our flower arrangements, like they do today. I remember my mom, grandmothers, and great grandmothers would save the JFG & Folgers’ tin coffee cans all year to use as vases, to put the flowers in. Striping away the paper logo’s off the cans. Then we would go into the woods and cut limbs off of the blooming mountain laurel, rhododendron, and honey suckle. Just about any type of flowering bush, tree, or shrub was used. Then we would hit the pastures and meadows and pick early blooming wild flowers that we could carry.

            We would take these back to the house. Then Mom, and Grandmas and various relatives would set to work making the arrangements for our loved ones who had died. It would take a few days to get them all made. The coffee cans would be full to over flowing.  But the finished product was always beautiful. They would put the finished product in the can house to keep cool, so they wouldn’t wilt, before we had the chance to place them on the graves.

            Then bright and early on Sunday morning, we would head out. We didn’t just go to one cemetery. It’s not that simple. We would go to 3 or 4 different cemeteries. We would start at the Metz Cemetery and place our flowers on the graves of our dearly departed relatives. Various members of the family would weep over a brother or sister, mom or dad, who had gone on. There were long moments of silence as, silent prayers were being said. Or words spoken like, “I miss you.  Think about you every day. You were my life.” Words that didn’t mean that much to me as a young child. I knew that there was something very intimate about the whole scene and knew not to interfere.

            Then it would be time to head to the next cemetery. Usually it would be the Old Mother Church cemetery. The largest cemetery in town. And it would all start, all over again. Tears would be shed. Hands would be laid on the head stone and prayers and words would be silently spoken. And then we would leave there and go to Mountain Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. The whole process would be repeated. It was an emotional time.

            By the time we were finished, it would be close to 11:30 or 12 noon.  Then we would head to Grandma Ruby’s house for a huge family get together and picnic. It would last the rest of the day and evening. There would softball games in the pasture, singing, and just good family fun.

            The final decoration took place a couple of weeks later. I’ve only been to this decoration a few times. But we would drive over to Fontana marina and ride a barge or a pontoon boat over to the mouth of Hazel Creek, on Fontana Lake. It’s about a 20-30-minute boat ride across the lake. It was always a beautiful trip. The scenery is breath taking.

            The Forest Service would provide vehicles, for the elderly and very young, to take us into the back country to Bone Valley Cemetery. We would walk part of the way, then ride some. It was an all-day event. It was a pot luck, Decoration Day. Everyone brought a covered dish or two. And shared with everyone attending the trip.  Flowers were put on the graves. More tears were shed. Families and friends would reunite and get caught up on what had been happening since they had last seen each other.

            Then in the late afternoon, we would begin our journey out of there, back to the boats and barges. To take the boat ride back to our cars, to head home, not to visit again for another year. I was in my early 20’s the last trip I made to Bone Valley cemetery. Time seems to slip away from us. And year is gone in the blink of an eye.

            Today most people call Decoration Day, Memorial Day. It has become a national holiday. To pay honor and respect to our great nations fallen sons & daughters. For most it is a day off from work. It is the official start of the summer season. We raid the grocery stores. Pull out the grills, lay on the charcoal for burgers and dogs. Let the cookouts begin. And for many, no thought for what the day really represents. We should never forget the sacrifice of those, who died to save and protect the lives of so many. It is because them, the brave sons and daughters, who willing gave up their lives, that we can say with a doubt we live in the Greatest Nation on Earth.

Written By: David M. Shuler

09JUNE2017