“Listen, do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell?”
– John Lennon/Paul McCartney
There are some photographs I've taken that will always hold a special place in my heart. Don't get me wrong. I have quite a collection of photos and I love them all. Just some more than others. This is a short story about one of them.
One March afternoon, I was walking through Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah GA, leaving patterns of winding footprints on one of the soft sandy roads that criss-cross the grounds.
I don’t remember if I was talking to myself, or whistling a tune to fill the silence. Perhaps I was thinking too loud? I came around the trunk of a tree that was encircled by a tangle of bright pink and purple azaleas and met the gaze of a little cherub.
“Shhhhh.”
The gesture was unmistakable. One small finger raised in front of pursed lips. I could almost hear the words, “Quiet, please. I'll tell no one you were here. It will be our secret. Just us two.”
And so it was and is.
While I have this picture, I won't reveal the exact location. I’ll leave that up to you.
When you take your own journey to the city of Savannah and Bonaventure Cemetery in the month of March, tread softly where you walk. Look for a tree wound about with pink and purple azaleas. You just might find my little friend.
Embrace the silence. Remember, quiet, please.
Photographs taken by Christine Shephard and all written copy may not be used in any other format or publication without express written permission.
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