CEMETERY & MEMORIAL PARK COMBO

JOURNEY JOURNAL... Ocala, Florida

A STUDY OF CONTRASTS

Even in cemeteries and memorial parks, there may be conspicuous indications of economic disparities.  On one side of the metaphorical fence, headstones compactly abut one another, blatantly representative of constrictive accommodations and density below. 

However, on some properties there are significant patches of pretty burial land available to anyone willing to shell out a pretty penny. Termed “family estates,” these apportioned lots enable a group of related people to have their bodies repose in clustered proximity to one another.  Often the delineated spaces are defined by hedges, stone walls, or wrought iron gates, creating a degree of separation from neighboring family groups.    

Highland Memorial Park is graced by a swathe of such sectioned territories, rendering a park-like setting shaded by overhanging trees.  

Situated next to an open expanse of land, there is no sense of confinement here. 

Beyond this region of family estates are views unobstructed by prominent headstones or other memorial hardware.  But passing through the semblance of a gate (not the Pearly one!) takes a visitor to “the other side” where such traditional structures abound.  

A distinct division between the two familiar types of burial grounds is achieved visually by observing the labeled designation on the stone entrance stanchions flanking the road. 

The exclusivity of flat markers accentuated by similarly staked artificial flowers on one side of the extensive property also tells the story.  

So, here in this "city of the dead," shopping for an eternal home can be a simple matter of rotating one's living body to view the possibilities. 
______________________________________________________________________