Memories

The second anniversary of the Thailand tsunami and the thoughts of the survivors.

            They place flowers on the graves. Some big some small some are more expensive or more extravagant. The flowers represent the people gathered at the graveyard. Each one comes from a different life a different place. Some people here are friends or acquaintances. Others are bosses or workers. Strangers mingle together with tears in their eyes as the ceremonies begin.

            Though every person here is different they don’t mind. They have all gathered for one purpose, one reason, to honor the dead, the lost, the missing. Orphans stand beside their parents graves, weeping as their new family’s stand above them. Widows and widowers gather near. All are silent except for the few that cry. Some scream from the pain or the memories that still haunt their nightmares. No one here is with out them, the nightmares that is. All of those gathered in the graveyard have experienced them. All of them remember the way the wave crashed into them. How it choked them made their bodies feel like fire. They all know what it feels like to be alone. Trapped, stranded. Rescued by strangers but never loved ones.

            The sky opens up and the rain falls around them as the very earth seems to morn the great loss. So many lives were ruined that December two years ago. So many lives were stolen. 169,752 pulse dead. 127,294 and more missing. 
            
             No matter what they do they will never be able to change those facts so tighter they gather and together they morn on a wet December afternoon.