Field of Hope. Funny way to describe a cemetery, but that's what I felt - Hope. It was Christmas Eve, about 9:30 in the evening. We were dropping by the boys' graves to leave some candles.
As we drove through the neighborhoods on the way, we saw families gathering at grandpa and grandma's. You know a half dozen cars in the drive, people carrying gifts, lots of smiles.
I expected we'd be the only ones at the cemetery at that hour, but there were a lot of other visitors.
Most of the graves had been decorated for weeks. This was people wanting to spend part of Christmas Eve with their departed loved ones.
We would pass them in the snow, exchange a quiet "Merry Christmas". Acknowledging a shared pain.
But there was more. The cemetery was aglow with hundreds of candles and luminaries. Each one carefully placed and individually lit. After we tended to Josh and Ben's graves, we drove through the rest of the cemetery.
I felt as though the lights represented our desire to remain connected with our loved ones. More than a desperate longing, but a symbol of hope that we would be reunited.
Hope that some bright morning we'll all be together again.
Hope has become a pretty watered-down word these days. "Hope you have a good time :)"
When the scriptures use the word hope, it's not a meek and mild term.
"A perfect brightness of Hope" "Hope in Christ" "Hope of Israel" "Abound in Hope" "The Comforter filleth with Hope".
It's real, it's powerful and it comes from God.
A field of Hope.
Comments