I was walking through Arlington National Cemetery is June, still in awe of the place though I had visited it as a young teen. Unfortunately, after seeing rows and rows of the same style grave, the appropriate emotion was lost on me and eventually I found myself just walking aimlessly passed the white stones like I was passing strip malls.
Finally, I saw a grave with flags on either side, the only color in a large area. Upon investigation I saw it was Audie Murphy's grave and I immediately stopped, had a moment of silence to myself, and took a few photos. The most interesting thing to me was the amount of coins left by visitors on top of the stone. Coins being placed with the dead or on tombs is probably as old as the minting of coins in ancient times. From placing coins on the eyes of the deceased in payment for the boatman on the River Styx to Benjamin Franklin's grave covered by a sea of pennies, I am baffled by just how steadfast we hold to traditions that we might not even have a name for.
All of our modern conveniences and self-important notions of how advanced we are, none of us can overcome the basic superstitions, traditions, and appreciations of the past. When I was finally ready to move on, I pulled out the shiniest two quarters I had in my pocket and placed them on top of the grave, stood there a moment longer, then began walking back up the hill.
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