On Memorial Day, I went to Mount Calvary Cemetery in
Leavenworth, Kansas, to visit family graves with an aunt and a couple of
cousins. It’s a good way to follow St. Benedict’s advise to “keep death daily
before you,” as every year we come across new grave stones and freshly dug
graves. Memorial Day is second only to New Year’s day and perhaps one’s
birthday in leading us to consider what type of person we want to be in the
time we have remaining on earth.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that since my last visit,
a maple tree had been planted not far from my parents’ grave. In years to come,
it will add beauty to their resting place and provide shade for visitors. I
don’t know who planted the tree—probably the family of the man recently buried
two plots over—but they certainly understood, as Nelson Henderson said, “The
true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to
sit.”
Humble people recognize the limitation of their life spans
and undertake tasks that will be of no benefit to them but will serve future
generations. What type of person do I want to be in the time I have remaining
on earth? I want to be the type of person who plants trees.
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