October 31, 2007...1:18 am
A trip to the past - through the cemetery
Happy Halloween! I don’t normally spend much time thinking about cemeteries, but driving down Fairview Avenue yesterday, I couldn’t help but admire the park-like setting of Cloverdale Cemetery. It was a perfect fall afternoon with the yellow leaves floating to the ground in perfect peaceful bliss. I couldn’t tell you anything about that cemetery or their services. I’ve never set foot there that I can remember any way, but if I’ve driven by there once, I must have been by there a million times since it was along a major driving route in my childhood. Today it’s land locked by the city - but there it sits in all its landscaped glory.
What I remember mostly about it as a kid was holding my breath when we drove passed it. When my parents caught a red light, I thought I was going to either die or pass out in the back seat of that old buick as I tried not to take a breath.
I don’t know why I held my breath - probably because someone told me some stupid superstition that if you don’t hold your breath when you pass a cemetery, you’ll either die or become possessed. (The good news is that I’ve had neither happen to me thus far in my life…and I have not held fast to that old tale!)
Anyway, as I sat at that stoplight, admiring the trees, I was transported some 30-odd years back to a time and place when life was far simpler and less complicated…Halloween costumes were homemade (because you had time to make them!), you could still put popcorn balls in trick or treat bags, and there were barely enough leaves to rake in my parents yard (which today takes a few dozen bags to clean up all the leaves!).
My trip in time was a nice little jaunt as I considered how much Boise - and life in general has changed - since my family moved here in the mid 70s.
Ah yes, the simple life…too bad it was a cemetery of all things that reminded me of it yesterday!
Enjoy your day and stay safe!
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