Blasting Fireworks in the Cemetery
It always honors me when friends like Alice let me participate in family traditions. The cemetery fireworks for Eva Fair Guess (b. 1916; d. 1986) are the closest I’ll ever come to knowing a woman who must’ve been a spit-fire.
The cemetery where she’s buried is near Alice’s childhood Tara in Denmark, South Carolina. Situated on a quiet country road, this old, lovingly maintained place is one giant rectangle clear cut from the surrounding forest.
In the rapidly fading light, we pulled into the cemetery on the 4rd of July, with me noting all of the “Guess” monuments scattered here and there. They whispered: “guess who I was?”; “guess what I did with my life?”; “guess where you’ll be before you know it?”.
We parked behind Eva’s tombstone. She loved the 4th of July, and every year the family visits her grave to blast Roman candles in her honor. One by one, we took a turn in honoring a woman they loved by giving her something colorful, explosive and lively. As the light faded, the hues grew richer, and the noise mingled with the crickets and tree frogs to form a symphony in her honor.
When I imagine Eva, I hear belting laughter behind the staccato bursts in the sky. She must’ve been as colorful, explosive and lively as the tradition she’s inspired. As we finished, one by one they left the spent Roman candle holder on her grave in the form of a cross. Lain lovingly on the ground, those cylinders strung together surpassed spent leftovers; they became a more winning tribute than flowers ever could, and a gentle reminder to us that life is fleeting.
Thanks to Alice, Eva is someone I wish I could’ve known. I hope I do her proud by living life in blasts of resplendent color and light.
This post is part of a series that celebrates my friendship with Alice Guess as she moves to Baton Rouge, LA. If this is your first visit, please click here and read forward. Thank you for reading and sharing your stories here.
Beautiful post Andra. I imagine Eva would have been proud.
Her daughter is the ringleader, and we always go along.
You do indeed live life in blasts!
If my life were like this, Lou, I’d get ten times as much done, or I’d combust……
Oh, fantastic. There’s a life goal: to live so well, so brightly, that the people you leave behind light fireworks over your grave!
It seems rather unorthodox until you do it once. I hope people will do that for me someday.
I have been through Denmark many, many times. I will tip my hat the next time I go through. Nice to know people still remember small town South Carolina fondly. Have you been to the Jim Harrison gallery there?
Oh, and as for fireworks, glad to know they didn’t end up like those in San Diego this year…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrPCEubDZ9A
I’ve been to the big antique store in the old AT&T building. Alice’s godmother owns it. Heading over to watch the SD link now.
What a cool tradition! I can think of some relatives of mine who would enjoy a similar annual send off!!
It is festive rather than morbid or sad. A really sparkling celebration of a life.
That is cool. Never heard of setting off fireworks in a cemetery, but I think i like the idea!
It certainly beats flowers.
What a magical post! Enchanting! I love old cemeteries here. So many lives, each one a complex story in its own right. And firecrackers are the most wonderful way to remember someone you love.
Wandering a really ancient one, like some of yours, is a real treat for me, Kate. So many stories buried there.
What a great way to remember someone! That must be really special to participate in.
It was what she wanted. I’m glad people are around to honor her wishes year after year.
I finally had a few moments here to catch up on your blogs, Andra, and I must say that I’ve enjoyed this celebration of your friendship with Alice. What an interesting way to celebrate Eva’s life.
When I think about it, Penny, I can’t imagine doing it any other way. It’s festive. It’s joyful. It’s how I would want to be remembered someday.
What a wonderful way to celebrate the 4th! I think it would be so great to be remembered in this completely spectacular way! Alice’s family is surely quick with recognizing how to memorialize and give honor to someone special. I can see why you have found so much delight in Alice as a friend and companion…someone who matches your sense of fun! Debra
dig these family plots off a country road…dark magic (but not in a bad way) ~
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate a life, Angela.
I love “guess” monuments! I love finding them on my hikes even though I always shed a tear or two while I talk to them. Beautiful writing – as always. You always, always tug at my heart in so many different ways.
There’s quite the concentration of them in Denmark, SC.