Your tombstone stands among the rest;

Neglected and alone.

The name and date are chiseled out

On polished, marbled stone.

It reaches out to all who care

It is too late to mourn.

You did not know that I exist

You died and I was born.

Yet each of us are cells of you

In flesh, in blood, in bone.

Our blood contracts and beats a pulse

Entirely not our own.

Dear Ancestor, the place you filled

One hundred years ago

Spreads out among the ones you left

Who would have loved you so.

I wonder if you lived and loved,

I wonder if you knew

That someday I would find this spot,

And come to visit you.

Author- Walter Butler Palmer

I have become acquainted with some wonderful people during my 20 + years of participating on this site. Unfortunately, I have also come across those few, with whom I would have preferred not to have ever encountered. I don't believe that the quantity of entries is more important than quality. There are some contributors who robotically enter thousands of memorials, but do not want to be bothered with responding to suggested edits. Some, will actually send unkind messages to those contributors who are only trying to add information that they themselves initially did not want to take the time to research. To those contributors who have made this a life consuming activity, creating a litany of their own rules and demands, I say lighten up. Being accurate is indeed important, but spare the ridicule and unkind comments aimed at your fellow contributors. At 80 years of age, I would much rather do without the negativity, and continue with the joy I derive from the research and preservation of memories through my Find A Grave endeavors. To those who also share this joy for the work, I thank you, and wish you the very best.

I spend the majority of my time doing the research to link family members and trying to enhance information on each person's memorial.