This was the weekend for my husband’s grave at Miramar National Cemetery to be dedicated as his final resting place on earth and for it not to be disturbed until our Savior returns. Loving family friends took care of this special prayer for me.
Miramar National Cemetery is the extension of Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery at Point Loma that no longer has space available for first interment casketed remains. It may soon close to cremains as well when the remaining 600 niches are filled.
Miramar National Cemetery has been open for about three years for casketed remains (a little longer for cremains) and though the grass is green, the burial grounds (313 acres) are still a little stark pending additional landscaping. However, Miramar National Cemetery is simple and peaceful in its own way and will be beautiful when matured. All headstones are of marble. Family members must be patient while they are ordered. This can take 90 days.
The Avenue of Flags is a stirring sight with some 50 United States flags lining a roadway at the cemetery. These flags remain lighted at night.
With the “Top Gun” school relocated to Fallon, Nevada, one might expect Miramar to be quiet all the time, but such is not the case. There are still screaming military jets enough for any “Top Gun” fan, which my husband always was!
The drive to San Diego is a rugged one in 21st century traffic on the I-5. In this case, there were some 40-50 miles of 20-25 mph traffic before the flow opened up again. It used to be the 405 freeway that was the worst but always there is change in this part of the world. Coming back today, traffic was more tolerable, even if mapquest twice gave wrong information about merging out of far left lanes when the transitions were via far right lanes from the I-5, unless you qualify for the car pool lanes! Aargh. And nothing has changed at the El Toro “Y”.
So, singing stirring hymns most of the way home helped a lot, especially the majestic For All the Saints from the English Hymnal published by Oxford University Press.
And hearts are brave again.