I have been pondering this issue since Dear Abby presented it to her readers. Her response was appropriate and yet all the readers’ comments were well versed and most of them made sense depending on their argument.
When I visit old cemeteries, there is a sense of nostalgia and respect that definitely defines the graveyard. Even now, many can describe the feeling of driving or walking by a cemetery as a definite departure from the usual affect of a walk by a grassy park or a golf course. So should cemeteries be used as the public park settings they once where? Should animals and children be allowed to freely roam as they might at a public park? Should walkers or joggers be allowed to use this expanse of land?
I, for one, am definitely enjoying the uniqueness that comes will celebrating lives during a funeral. However, if there was ever a sense of respect due, it is the funeral that commands respectful behavior even though many times it can be lighthearted and joyful. Respect—yes, that is the word that must be in the forefront of peoples’ minds when contemplating additional uses for a cemetery.
Dear Abby’s response: “Cemetery etiquette is simple: Treat the graves as you would the graves of your parents, or as you would like your own to be treated. This includes no loud chatter, in case there are people in mourning there, not walking on the graves, not leaving chewing gum on the gravestones, keeping pets leashed (if they are brought there at all), and teaching children the difference between a cemetery and a playground.”
