[Leica] IMG: SundayShot

[bjq1 at mac.com (Bernard Quinn)]

Memorial Day, 2007...... One Saturday afternoon several weeks ago I  
was driving along Route 16 on Maryland's Eastern Shore on my way to  
Taylor's Island where I planed to watch work boats and take pictures.  
As I drove through the tiny town of Madison which is just a few miles  
to the west of Taylor's Island the late afternoon sunlight and  
shadows in the grave yard of a very old United Methodist church  
caught my eye. I stopped to take a look around. I came across this  
scene. The church is old. That much I could tell from the glass in  
the windows How old it is I don't know. The church isn't wealthy. It  
has no running water and no parish hall, not that these things matter  
as far as worship is concerned. The cemetery is in need of some  
repair. The incongruity of this cross among all the old stones struck  
me.

Memorial day is a day for reflection and remembrance of those who  
have gone before us, particularly for those whom have given their  
lives in the defense of the freedoms that we enjoy in the United  
States of America, as well as elsewhere. As I was thinking about this  
the following image came back to my mind. I don't know the story of  
Baby Willey. I wish I did. What I do know is that someone cared very  
much. Baby Willey's marker had been very carefully made from a PVC  
fence post. His name had been placed on it using the kind of  
inexpensive self adhesive letters available at almost any hardware  
store. It has no other details. No date of birth. No date of death.  
No short, sentimental cliche which is almost obligatory in these  
circumstances. That Baby Willey existed is what mattered. Perhaps the  
same can be said of love. All that matters is that it exists. The  
details are of little importance.

Someone loved Baby Willey  enough to make this crucifix for him. They  
loved him enough so that they wanted him remembered and enough so  
that they wanted what life he had celebrated. I doubt that they had  
the resources for what richer people would call a proper head stone.  
But, they didn't let that stop them. They did the best they could  
with what they had at hand. I took this picture because it said  
something to me about love, life, and caring. I thought that Memorial  
day would be a good time to share it. What I wish for each and every  
on of us on this Memorial day is that we will hold in our hearts and  
minds people we care about as much as the person who erected this  
memorial cared about Baby Willey.

Please, take some time to remember this weekend.

Barney


http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Barney/Baby_Willey.jpg.html

Comments and Criticisms Welcome!