The Grass Withers

I saw a grave yard from the early 1800's this week. It sits completely surrounded by dense woods about 70 yards of a county road in Mississippi. The forest has overtaken the grounds and several large trees have fallen across the headstones. Many epitaphs comment on the Civil War. Legend has it that they were related to Nathan Bedford Forest. But who knows for sure? I am sure that each of these people had hopes and dreams, regrets and victories. Its interesting to consider how complex their lives must have been, and the number of people who buried their loved ones in that place. Most of what these people owned and invested in is now gone. Within the span of 100 years the forest has twice taken it over. Their homes, cattle, horses and nearly everything else is gone. What lives on is the investment they gave to others. We all invest. We must now ask: with what? to what end? in whom? The Grass Withers and the Flower Fades.