people & happenings
MEMORIES OF MOUNT AUBURN :
Member-Submitted Reflections
Members of the Friends of Mount Auburn were asked to share some of their favorite memories of the Cemetery . We want to thank each and every one of you for being a Friend and showing why Mount Auburn is such a special place .
Whenever I walk in the sacred grounds of Mount Auburn ... the sights of memorial graves , the blossoming of flowers , the falling of leaves , the vibrancy of birds singing , and mammals scurrying , all together remind me of the precious circle of life . — Peg ; MA
As a master gardener , I volunteer in the landscape along with the terrific horticulture staff . My team and I love working here ! — Diane ; North Andover , MA
Haiku on Indian Ridge path
Sitting at dad ’ s stone Red tree sprouts new life below Warming the damp earth . — Loocie ; Cambridge MA
The guided tour of LGBTQ people interred was fascinating , moving , and funny — the docent was superb . — Andrea ; Belmont , MA
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As a long-time regular Mount Auburn walker I appreciate the serenity and beauty of the natural environment with its wildlife and plant scape through each changing season . The tree labels play such an important educational role that I would also love to see labels on the unusual shrubs , perennials , and grasses as well . Thank you to all staff ! — Jeanne ; Belmont , MA
Walking from Asa Gray Garden on Indian Ridge Path to my father ’ s funeral in Birch Gardens on a beautiful August morning . Gathering with family , dear friends , and a spiritual leader , saying prayers , crying , laughing and singing , as his ashes and my mother ’ s were joined in the ground . — Steve ; Belmont , MA
The Cemetery connects me to those with whom I share and have shared this world . A place of nature , art and remembrance , it brings peace and inspiration . It tells me where I belong in life ’ s bigger picture . — Beth ; Watertown , MA
Just recently , after suffering a few hard bits of news , I took myself for a solo visit . First , I stopped in to say hi to my grandparents and great grandparents ( whom I ’ ve been visiting most of my life ), then to the newly placed stone of my stepmother : admired my choice of quote that made me smile ! From there to the newly added marker of my aunt , and then visited my friend ’ s son and left a stone . From that rather sad spot , I went over to the Pond and said hello to my godparents . There I sat on a bench and felt so much better , having felt the strength of generations . How lucky I have been to have so many remarkable people in my life . — Ellen ; Stowe , MA
As a nature lover and an archivist , one thing I really value about Mount Auburn is how I can multitask on a visit , absorbing both the beauty of the botanical gardens and the important history housed on the grounds . I can wander casually through the rewilding fields , stopping by the graves of Amy Lowell and Robert Creeley , and then meander past the pond , stop to let a toad hop across my path , and end up in front of the grave of Peter Byus or the mysteriously inscribed tombstones at Charlotte Cushman ’ s monument . — Thera ; Watertown , MA