The Soul in Me...

Passing by the old cemetaries, I, of late, have caught a glimpse of shadows, spirits, optical illusions. Perhaps they are optical allusions. Spiritually tuned up, I feel them looking at me as I drive by. Their grave stones etched by the wind and scarred by the oxidation of water, can we even tell who they once were? Do they want us to know, or; might they prefer to remain anonymously frightening? I wonder these things as I ride past their haunts and peer curiously into the woods at their stones having become overgrown by trees and underbrush, guarding the secrets of their past. I feel a chill. I look away not wanting to disturb.

Their souls are wandering around in my brain tonight. The soul of my loving Aunt Meme, my "kindred spirit" as she used to say; the soul of Unkie her sweet" Mr. Wright" who loved me from deep in his heart; the soul of my dad puffing away on his pipe turning the smoke into fog; the soul of my mother singing her siren song; the soul of Paul, my dear sweet brother-in-law, gone too soon listening to all our conversations to pass the family secrets on to souls unknown, the soul of the recently departed Reginald Edwards reaching back to kiss his wife goodbye one more time; the soul of my beloved friend, Cecil Belcher, laughing at me having "some grass" for lunch. So many souls.

Perhaps their wandering spirits wish to roam, and; envy my freedom. My freedom to see them or not, my freedom to choose my way as their time has passed.

Halloween in Pittsylvania County where history is still living!