I went by Mom's grave this morning and put some home cut flowers there. Because I walk with a group of ladies, one of which is a widow, we began talking about ways to remember the dead other than placing flowers on their graves once a year. I personally liked some of the ideas that came up because I remember too many years spent in graveyards on my birthday.

Some of the ideas were: keep the flowers and enjoy them at home while thinking of your loved one, make a blog and share memories of that loved one, remember the little things daily that you loved and enjoyed with that person, visit some of your mutual favorite spots.

I am really pleased to be able to sit down and share memories about Mom. If she is lucky, she'll get a flower on her grave now and again but never on my birthday.