What Death Whispers

There are dozens of these incredible mausoleums at the cemetery near my house, and I can't believe I've lived here 2 years now and not photographed them yet. 

I was having a bit of a tough morning yesterday. I had to back out of presenting a workshop I was really deeply looking forward to for financial reasons. I was feeling sad, and awful for backing out on a commitment, and just all around a bit fragile. So with an hour to spare while I waited for the library to open, I ended up here.

The minute I set foot within the gates of this sacred space, I felt immediate comfort. I don't know if that's normal, though I'd gather to say it's probably not. Then again my relationship with the dead hasn't been quite normal either. Death has been an enormous part of my life, and I've spent a lot of time at the graves of people I love dearly. In the process, I've gradually begun to walk around and spend time honoring even those souls who are strangers to me. It's become a place that reminds me of how connected we all are. A place that reminds me that we are all fragile and so fleeting. And a place that reminds me to honor love, myself, and life more deeply. 

I left not only with some beautiful images and some ideas for how to make conceptual pieces from this space, but with a renewed sense of calm and connection to love.