The hairs on the back of your neck stand up, you feel a chill, and a shiver runs down your spine.
Someone just walked over your grave. (Or where it will be, rather.)
Cemeteries are unique places. Peaceful, quiet, and beautiful, these locales provide more than mere storage for cast-off bodies, no longer needed by the souls that once resided within. They are also markers of histories, icons of living memories, and channels for grief and reflection.
We go to cemeteries to speak to the dead. But if you listen close, and know how to look, the dead have their own stories to tell.
This Wednesday evening, guides Beth Nolan and Stephen Pacciano will be leading a Mausoleum and Vaults walking tour. Come hear the histories of those who reside within the ground - the families within the vaults. Explore the sombre beauty of the cemetery while keeping the past alive through increased awareness and knowledge of the departed.
Show up at the 6th street entrance promptly at 6:30 to join the tour. This tour is hosted by the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library Indiana History Room and the Heritage Preservation League.
And remember your graveyard etiquitte: don't step on the graves, lean on the gravestones, mess with the offerings, or remove anything; it's a sign of disrespect. However, it's well-nigh impossible to avoid future graves of those still with us. If you feel a shiver Wednesday night, this tour could be the culprit.
But what happens when you walk over your own grave?
[image of Veterans Cemetary in New Albany, by Angie Andriot]
