R.I.P.

I love cemeteries. I promise, I'm not a weirdo, just hear me out. When I was in college there was a cemetery in the very small town of Greenville, Illinois that was in close proximity to the dorms. I would go there with friends to do homework or bask in the sun, or by myself to do homework, or to walk around reading off all the names on the tombstones to fill the alone time that my introverted self requires. Cemeteries are quiet, peaceful, and I posit that they are beautiful.

Now that I am a parent, I discovered today that there is another use for the sanctuary of the cemetery. Today I just needed to get out of the house, so I decided to take the girls for a ride in the car. First to Starbuck's for a treat (for me, not the girls), and then out and about exploring neighborhoods that the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area has to offer. Our girls enjoy riding in the car as long as the car keeps moving, and they prefer bumpy roads. This is a problem in traffic, because there are inevitably stop signs, stoplights, and other cars in our way. As I turned into the gorgeous cemetery in a historical well-established part of town, I had an epiphany--this is perfect. There are no stop signs in cemeteries and the roads are uneven for extra bumpiness! I'm hoping to go back with the stroller at some point to wander up and down the uneven, hilly roads on foot.

On a slight tangent, parents, soon to be parents, or if you are ever going to be responsible for naming a child, or even a pet for that matter--cemeteries are great places to get ideas for names. There is everything from Alyoisious to Zebadiah--if you're stuck, I'm telling you, you might find the "perfect name" for your child, dog, or goldfish. More to my point though, you will most definitely find some peace, and your little ones might rest in the peace of the uneven roads and absence of stop signs.

For those in the Edwardsville, Illinois area, the cemetery of which I speak is just off of St. Louis Street. If you have a sunroof, and are driving through in mid-April with said sunroof open, be prepared for random seed pods and flower petals to fall into your car. A small price to pay for the beauty of spring, and yes, the serenity of the cemetery.