18 Comments
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Esther Stanway-Williams's avatar

Hi Julie, maybe I’m the first to your post this time! I go to the natural burial ground where Dom is. No need to decorate his plot, nature has done that already. Tomorrow will be the day we buried him, 5 years ago. Once again, it will be blanketed in yellow for my visit to my buttercup boy ❤️❤️❤️

Julie Neches's avatar

Oh thinking of you and Dom and the anniversary of his burial tomorrow. Blanketed in yellow for your buttercup boy will be beautiful! You are the first to post this time! Thanks!

Nikki Meyler Miller's avatar

I love the buttercups - so perfect for a May burial and his yellow hat, covering or protecting his head!

Esther Stanway-Williams's avatar

❤️❤️❤️

Yolande Clark-Jackson's avatar

Hi, Julie

I just wrote about Decoration Day as the origin of Memorial Day yesterday. Great minds think alike. I hope you had a restful day yesterday. Personally, it took me some time to be comfortable going to Divine's gravesite. But I've come to see tending to gravesite as an activity of care.

Julie Neches's avatar

Oh I’ll check out your post! That is a real coincidence we both wrote about Decoration Day! Thinking of you and Divine.

Nikki Meyler Miller's avatar

Julie, we don't have a burial site to visit or decorate, but I don't need to go to one to feel the love and appreciation for my beloved son, Garrett. You are quite right - every day is Memorial Day for us, and Garrett, Alix, Divine & Dom know this!

Julie Neches's avatar

Yes we honor and remember our children each day, and they receive our love even from heaven. Oh wonderful that you name all of our children, your son Garrett, my daughter Alix, Divine and Dom, of the bereaved parents who are weighing in here on this post. Our children take on new life as we know each other’s children and each other through the Substack community.

Joanie Madsen's avatar

We have no grave site. We scattered Douglas’ ashes in the red rock desert of Capitol Reef, Utah. It is such a deeply personal choice, and whatever brings a moment of peace is such a gift.

Years later we had a wind phone with a plaque inscribed in Douglas’ memory installed on the grounds of the Miss Foundation in Sedona, Arizona. (I wrote about it on my website.)Douglas was such a force behind this decision.

Alix, all our beloveds are remembered daily. We carry them close. 🌈💜

Julie Neches's avatar

You picked beautiful places to scatter Douglas’ ashes and to install a wind phone with a plaque. I’ve been to Sedona and it is an incredible, spiritual location. Yes, Alix and Douglas are remembered daily as are the children of the other bereaved parents. Sending hearts and rainbows to you too!

Backroad Portfolio's avatar

Never knew this! Thank you for sharing this interesting part of our nation’s history.

Julie Neches's avatar

Happy to share! I learn so much about historical places from your Substack!

Backroad Portfolio's avatar

That’s what we love to hear from our readers, thank you!

Julie Neches's avatar

Thank you for your informative writing!

J. Davis Mallory's avatar

Cool to learn about the history of holidays. Good read!

Julie Neches's avatar

Thanks for reading! Glad you enjoyed learning the holiday history!

John Marshall's avatar

The graves of my loved ones are not close, and I do not decorate, but I remember them especially on this day.

Julie Neches's avatar

Remembering them is the most important of all!