When you behold this speaking stone

When you behold this speaking ston
Remember what it says
Im[illegible] momets as they run
And walk in wisdom ways.

I love the beginning of this epitaph – the phrase “speaking stones” perfectly conveys what I see when I walk around a cemetery. Tombstones may seem silent and cold, but they are in fact full of stories if you know how to read them. I always thought I wanted to be a teacher (later specifically a history teacher), and some part of that is still in my heart. Were someone ever to give me the opportunity to teach a group of students about United States history for a few weeks or months, I would definitely take all those kids off to a cemetery to explore. (Of course, that’s not likely to happen anytime soon, so I’m resigned to dragging along unsuspecting friends.) My only regret is that the wear on the tombstone obscures the third line.