I’ve got a few stories from our island trip and decided write them down so I won’t forget them.
The timing was odd for our trip back from Hawaii. We had to check out of the condo by 11 am – but our flight wasn’t until 9:50 pm.
We had some time.
So, there was lunch and a trip to a national park. Along the way, we approached a military cemetery and we decided to stop and check it out. It was well back from the road and the gate opened when we approached and pulled on through. We were the only visitors as we pulled into a parking spot and got out.
The part of the island we were on wasn’t crowded like other areas and we had gotten used to the quiet – but this was another level of quiet. No traffic, no ocean, no birds and most importantly, no other people.
Just the wind.
It was a beautiful and well maintained cemetery and as we walked around we spoke to each other in hushed tones. There was a small flower garden, several plaques, flat markers in the ground and several mausoleums – filled with deceased service personnel and their spouses who had made their homes on the islands and served our country.
We talked quietly about the epitaphs on the markers and though we didn’t know any of the names we got a sense of their stories.
One epitaph below a name reads simply, “Done.”
That one got to me. It was incredibly sad and so completely final.
And yet, it was also peaceful. Maybe the most peaceful place I had ever been.
There was love there and loss. There was memory and respect.
And there was the peace of a journey done. Finally, a chance to set aside everything and just…rest.
We said quiet goodbyes to these strangers and left them to be.