With this one, I have a story.
Some of it will stem from my religious beliefs, and for that I do apologize as I am not trying to make this post about me in that way. I will do my best to limit that aspect, but if I slip.. well.. just smack me on the hand.
This headstone is that of a 5 month old little girl.
There is a stone next to it , laying on the ground of an older man. I would assume a family member possibly her father.
I did not know that the tree stump that you see in the picture was actually over HER grave and not his.
When viewed straight on, it appears to be 'shared'
Also, considering , at the time that I only saw the back before my find, I never took the time to read the front. But saw the mans headstone.... thought it was so... and went home.
The tree was chopped down because it was posing a safety hazard.
I saw it the day after it happened and walked over to look at the stump.
Sticking out from the stump was the offending item.
A simple sea shell that appeared to be petrified.
I love stones. If you are ever in my home you will find everything from the pinky sized crystal to the 10lb amethyst geode.
So this thing just flipped my little lid.
The roots of the tree had grown inside of it so I took the time to separate them and carefully knock out all of the dirt.
Excited with my find I took it home that day and kept it in my hand. I was essentially hoping to 'learn ' something from it.
That very next day, things started falling off my counters with no reason.
An entire dinner plate hit the floor.
My lights were going out.
My tv didn't work
MY toilet flushed.
My daughter started talking to someone
I was having the worst dreams I have had in a long time. They were keeping me up at night and making me uncomfortable during the day time.
My house felt occupied
I smudged. Twice. And that helped for a while but by evening, it felt occupied again.
My skin would quickly get hot or cold on more then one occasion.
I went to photograph the shell only to find that my brand new camera didn't work.
I resorted to the manual and saw quickly that all of my personal settings had been changed to default as if it were just pulled out of the box.
It wasn't until after 3 days of this that I finally put two and two together and decided I should take the shell back where it belonged.
On my way back to the graveyard, my car radio didn't work, and I learned later that day that a piece of my brake system had stopped working. No i don't think it was BECAUSE of anything as my car is at 50,000 miles. But.. none the less. . it was strange.
I hiked across the yard and to the stump. I got on my knees and using my hand.. dug a hole along the side of the stump so that the stone would be deep enough , it would not just pop up again.
Filled in the hole.. and left
Now, this is my favorite spot to sit.
It is comfortable, quiet and I feel really safe in that one spot.
Maybe I'm crazy, but I don't think that shell belonged to me.
not only that.. but it wasn't until AFTER this happened that I realized, when people do what I did, that is exactly how the yard deteriorate.
People don't think they are stealing anything.. they think they have found something that belongs to only them and noone else.
Lesson learned.
