Darling Florie

(Originally posted 12/27/2018 on Facebook)

Wednesday morning, after traveling for the holiday...a good time for reflection…

I was going to write about some rather dry or more challenging parts of being in a cemetery this week. But I decided that one of my cemetery “friends” needed to have a bit of a holiday presentation.
Her stone reads, “our darling Florie”.

Florie Martin passed away at the age of 12, in 1880. The monument of her family was made for her, with the other family members being interred much later.

There is a simply lovely statue of Florie on top of the monument - a character study for a beautiful young lady. She carries a laurel wreath in one hand - a symbol of virginity and purity. A basket in her other hand - a symbol of hope. And she has such a beautiful little face.

She died of a simple infection, which in our day could have been fixed with a z-pack of antibiotics. Gone, and her family obviously cherished and mourned her loss.

There are other faces in the cemetery, showing those who are buried beneath them. Angels, arch-angels, spirits, cherubs - even a cat (again, more on that later!). The “man in a chair”, overlooking the Schuylkill River. The gentlemen below, only son and only 22 years old.

But Florie is just so damned sweet, and her family obviously was so heartbroken at her loss.

So Merry Christmas, darling Florie. I found this branch on the road in the cemetery and was going to take it home with me, but decided that you needed a bit of Christmas remembrance. I think of you often, even though I never knew you, and I hope that wherever you are, you feel the warmth at this holiday time of someone who keeps you in her heart.

To all the rest of you, this time of year remember your family members who have passed. Let them know, somehow, that you love them and that you honor their life and hope to reunite with them in the next life. That’s what holidays are about - family.