Memorial Day Flowers... For me... or For you??

I am 26 years old and I already have two huge bags full of flowers for graves. Every year I visit the places my friends and family were buried and I place fake flowers by their headstones. To many it is a sign of respect to the dead. To me it is a reminder of how much I missed them.

I missed having Josh in my class and sitting behind him while he talked about Utah Jazz. I missed having Jason in my class being loud and crazy! I miss having Kyle walk through my yard or stopping to ask if I wanted to play football. I miss Briar and his sense of humor and Kandy and her love for Christ. I miss Lisa and her smile from the second pew. I miss Mark and his ability to just be around when I was playing with his daughter, I miss Craig and the joy he brought to his son's lives, I miss Zeb and Justin and their friendship with my brother, I miss Tracy and her love for her small little girl, I miss Grandpa, everything about him, Nick THE soldier :)  the list goes on... There are so many people that have graced us with their presence for 40 years and some who graced us with 10 years.

Out of respect for them we place flowers on their graves even though we know there is nothing there. Under that headstone is dirt which covers the casket that holds the bones. But the bones are just bones, the ashes are just ashes. I know they are in heaven now having more joy they we can ever imagine. I just hope they are saving a place for me!!!