Raised and Leveled

After visiting my brother David's grave when we were in Iowa, I messaged the memorial garden management to ask how much it would cost to have his stone raised and leveled. I was surprised and grateful when they responded quickly to let me know it would be taken care of quickly, with no charge.

3 weeks ago:

Now:

They let me know last week that the work was completed, and I asked if they would send me a picture.

I was surprised how teary it made me to receive the photo today.

David was not easy. He did not have an easy life. He did not have great health, and he had to be an adult when he was too young to really be an adult. Our parents helped him a lot, but when he died at 47, it felt like he had never really had a chance to live up to the best of himself. I was too young to be anything but the little sister, always, but I will be forever grateful he lived long enough to be at our wedding and to get to know Buds. And he had three daughters who were my first friends. That is quite a gift.

I did not do much for him in life, so I am thankful to do this tiny thing for him now.