Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Terabithia

Across the street from our house is a city park, Baker Park, that we go to a good bit to throw the ball with Pippin or push Jude in the swing. I suppose it's the same with all city parks, but this is one of those places where you would not want to go after dark, and you certainly wear your rubber soled shoes. Other than the more than occasional used condom (um...?), you don't want to be wearing flip flops for fear of stepping on broken glass or a stray needle. Nevertheless there are kids playing there during the day and there is a nice (graffitied) playground, fields for soccer and baseball, and a basketball court that is always occupied.


So one day, about four years ago now, we were at the park throwing the ball to Pippin when we noticed a chain link gate in one corner. I figured that it could only lead to deep dark places, but of course Kevin wanted to check it out. We walked through the gate and down a little dirt path, and all of a sudden the sky cleared and a ray of sunshine fell on our path. Two Robins flew down to us tweeting a familiar song and they were each holding a small wreath of flowers that they dropped down on our heads. Green grass magically spread before us as an ancient Willow tree bowed down, plucked us off our feet, and set us in the middlle of a strange sparkling land.


Well, that's how I remember it anyway. I called it Narnia at first, and then the Secret Garden, and then decided that it was more like Terabithia (minus the rope swing and menacing creatures). It's actually a very old cemetary, full of very old gravestones and very old trees. I asked our neighbor, Bill, if he knew it was there and had ever walked there before. He looked at me like I was crazy and asked, "doesn't it smell?" He's a bit supersticious and apparently doesn't know about embalming.


Usually the only people that we meet on our walks in the cemetary are other dog walkers, whom we greet like we are in some kind of secret society. I get the feeling that they are like us and don't want too many others to find out it's there. There is an occasional Crazy in there too, like the guy who Kevin has seen twice piling up leaves and then diving into them and swimming around.


Kevin and I have had so many important talks here, and now that we are leaving NJ, every walk in the cemetary reminds us that we won't get to take it with us. It's been our end of the day ritual to take a long walk and talk about whatever is important to us at the time. Years ago we talked about maybe starting to try and have a baby. Then we talked about adoption, and then all the implications of in vitro fertilization. Then I dragged my huge pregnant self out there and we read all the names on the graves trying to discover a goodie. We imagined ourselves pushing a stroller along the pathways. Jude's first trip to Terabithia was when he was a week and a half old.


Here are some pictures that we took in our premature nostalgia.


This is the entrance to the park right accross from our house


These are just some shots of Jude tolerating us swinging him. I think he wonders why we get so excited about pushing him in this crazy contraption




Here's Kevin and Jude crossing over into Terabithia through the gate in the corner of the park



Here are some Terabithia shots. Wait, now I'm nervous that i've built it up too much. Disclaimer: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and these beholders live in urban New Jersey where trees are scarce and front lawns are littered with Goya soda bottles and Cheetos bags.




this is a picture of what is right outside one of the gates



Junk yard dog on one edge of the cemetary that would love to get his paws on Pippin



Tomb of Robert Wood Johnson (of the Johnson & Johnson family)



And my personal favorite tomb in the entire cemetary


6 comments:

Courtney said...

Beautifully written; it looks like a beautiful place. And that Jude just gets cuter and cuter.

Rebekah said...

I can definitely see the beauty in that place - has Kevin ever shimmied up the oblisque (did i spell that right)? haha. Jude is such a little man in his ball cup - can't wait to hold him!

Dad said...

Your gift for writing is obvious. The cemetary was much more beautiful than I anticipated after your disclaimer. Looks like a very peaceful walk. Jude is so cool in his outfit. I would imagine there are some very pretty places to walk in Burlington.

Anonymous said...

I wish we would have went to your special find! I know how much you have enjoyed it and that you will miss it. What sweet memories you have there. It's good to have marking places - almost like alters - places of surrender. Lifting up that you will find a place like that in Burlington.
-Brooke

Anonymous said...

love it.we love to sneak off here too-- i little escape for sure. i laughed at the goya bottles and cheet-o bags littered everywhere. that's our side yard with other pleasantries too! :)
-jen z

Michael and Jeanette said...

Hey Cristin! Surprised to see a comment from me? I was reading through Scott&Brooke's blog and saw that you too have a blog! Jude is absolutely precious and I totally relate with so much of what you've written about your journey into motherhood...and you are an amazing writer by the way--my blog is pretty much all pics :-) And how exciting about your new church in VT! I can't wait to read about God's plan unfolding for you and your beautiful family there! I'll be praying for you...Love&Blessings, Jeanette Kessler