A Prize Jewel

Flag at Long Island National Cemetery

There are moments in life that are just so precious and valuable you can't even begin to measure them.  I think many opportunities pass us by because it often times takes effort to arrive at that door and knock.  I am a firm believer that it is important to understand where we come from, especially when it comes to a persons ancestors/family.  Often times that can give you key insights into how you are as a person and how your family is.  I touched upon this a bit in my last blog so I won't waste more time here about it.  Not everyone comes from a perfect family, well truth be told NO ONE comes from a perfect family.  Some families are just better about covering it up and lying about it...but I digress.

I have been doing research along with my aunt to try and trace some of Sharlay's family going back multiple generations.  It has been exciting, frustrating and heartbreaking all at the same time.  However, I think it is important and Sharlay has really enjoyed it.

Sharlay's biological grandmother (on her mom's side) passed away long before Sharlay ever took a breath, she passed in 1957.  Up until recently Sharlay had no idea where her grandmother Dorothy was buried.  I thought it would be so great if we could find out this information and then hopefully pay a visit to the grave site to pay our respects.  I knew it would mean a great deal to Sharlay and it would be a very nice moment to share together.

For Dorothy it was pretty easy.  Her husband served in the Air Force and was Master Sgt.  Therefore it was a safe bet that she would be buried in a national cemetery.  She was.  Thanks to Ancestry.com and Findagrave.com we located her plot in Long Island National Cemetery.

Last Sunday I took my beautiful girlfriend out to Long Island so we could pay our respects.  Getting there was easy enough and once we printed off the map it was pretty easy to get there.  I picked a bad place to park in relation to the gravestone so we had to walk a ways...including over many graves but there was no other way to really do it.  Anyway, despite it being pretty cold and windy it was a beautiful day and the grounds of course were in great condition.  Add in the fall back drop and changing leaves and it was almost a perfect day for our trip.

We found her easily enough. 

Dorothy (Davis) Smith May 13, 1923 - May 27, 1957

It was such a moving moment to be there with Sharlay at the site of Dorothy's final resting spot.  I was overcome with sadness initially.  Sadness Sharlay never had the chance to meet Dorothy and vice versa.  Sadness in the unfairness of life at times.  Yet despite the sadness it was also very bitter sweet and while maybe strange- a bit romantic.  It wasn't so much about recognizing the dead as it was about understanding the living and celebrating the future. Our future.

Now Sharlay knows where her Grandmother is buried and can tell her family she has been there.  Hopefully we will make more trips here simply to pay respects and to always remember how precious life and family are.  It was a moving moment for both Sharlay and I.  I was grateful to God for that moment.  It was for sure one of those very special bonding moments that could have easily been missed had we not listened to the knock on our door of opportunity.  Here is a pic of Sharlay at the site.

I am so excited to see what adventures we will take next and places we will travel together.  She is an amazing woman who has overcome alot in her short life.  I love her to death.

More adventures to come including meeting the majority of her family on Thanksgiving!! Woo-sah....woo-sah....