By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
While we might not openly discuss it, there’s a sentiment, a hope if you will, that is common to us all: we have an undeniable urge to be remembered once we are gone. This impulse is so strong that great shrines have been created over millennia to remind us for whom they were built -- think the Great Pyramids. That, of course, is the most obvious example; however, we all conceive this singular notion that our time on earth is worthy of a legacy.
How do we do build a legacy? In his Bestselling Book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” author Stephen Covey reflects on that question and then prescribes what he calls “beginning with the end in mind.” To begin with the end in mind is, according to Covey, “to begin today with the image, picture, or paradigm of the end of your life as your frame of reference or the criterion by which everything else is examined. By keeping that end clearly in mind, you can make certain that whatever you do on any particular day does not violate the criteria you have defined as supremely important and that each day of your life contributes in a meaningful way to the vision you have of your life as a whole.”
Those are heady words and when deeply considered, they provide wonderful insights on how to live a deeply meaningful life so that, when it ends, you’ll be not only remembered, but remembered fondly, perhaps even with reverence.
But remembering is not a passive process. There’s something more at work because memories are distinctly bilateral – indelibly involving or intertwined with others. Perhaps the best example is within family units where great memories are often centered around big events: births, baptisms, birthdays, graduations, weddings and anniversaries. Yet, equally great memories can be created during other, less luminous family gatherings: picnics, potlucks, game nights, and of course, the just around the corner Holidays.
Remembering isn’t just about you; it’s really about all of the people in your life: family, friends, work colleagues, and professional associates. It’s that mutual connection to them that counts and brings meaning not only to your life but to their life as well.
“Remember Me” is really an appeal to be remembered. How will others remember you? Well, most of that is in your hands. But, memorializing your life is a process where we can provide our expertise – because it’s what we do here at Arlington. Memorializing doesn’t just happen - it’s an intentional process that takes thoughtful planning. Remember Me? Give us a call and let us help.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization
in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including
serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state
cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George
Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution
Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The
Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political
Science.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
A Loss Is Not a Tragedy
By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
This past Saturday afternoon, with three seconds left in the game, Michigan State’s field goal kicker, a stiff wind at his back, calmly booted the ball cleanly through the uprights giving the Spartans an unlikely upset win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. I was there at the Horseshoe. I sat through the cold and the rain and witnessed the futility. The football Buckeyes win with astounding regularity and as any loyal Buckeye fan will tell you, losing hurts. It’s even more painful given that this year’s uber-talented team was predicted for greatness, not to mention a second consecutive national championship. As the last second ticked from the clock, those hopes and dreams all but evaporated.
Driving home on I-71, my son-in-law and I discussed the game, lamented the loss and talked about how things might have been different. We were both disappointed and frustrated but when I tuned into a Columbus post-game radio show, I was appalled to hear the hosts, two nincompoops, who were quite literally screeching, pointing fingers, demanding accountability for the loss and all but calling for the guillotine for at least one OSU assistant coach.
It struck me just how kooky those radio jocks sounded because I take a back seat to nobody as an Ohio State fan. I’m from central-Ohio and while I don’t live and die for the Buckeyes, my scarlet blood more than likely contains more than just a hint of gray. I’ve been known to have taken some Buckeye losses pretty hard: the Michigan State game of 1998 and the 2006 national championship loss to Florida both come to mind as vivid examples. Yet, I’ve never really been one of those fans who comes completely unhinged over the result of a game because…well, they’re just games – not life or death tragedies.
You want a tragedy? See Paris, where that single act of terrorism impacted, indeed, transformed the lives of all of the families and friends of those murdered and injured – not to mention the collateral damage to the psyche of a nation. Now that’s a tragedy.
On a more personal level, we see families every day here at Arlington confronting the loss of, and saying final goodbyes to, someone they love dearly. These are life-altering events: some send shock waves through a country, indeed, around the world; others shatter families. But the one commonality is that they are truly tragedies on one scale or another.
While the bookies of the world may have a different take, a loss on a Saturday afternoon might be disappointing, but it’s certainly not a tragedy.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
This past Saturday afternoon, with three seconds left in the game, Michigan State’s field goal kicker, a stiff wind at his back, calmly booted the ball cleanly through the uprights giving the Spartans an unlikely upset win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. I was there at the Horseshoe. I sat through the cold and the rain and witnessed the futility. The football Buckeyes win with astounding regularity and as any loyal Buckeye fan will tell you, losing hurts. It’s even more painful given that this year’s uber-talented team was predicted for greatness, not to mention a second consecutive national championship. As the last second ticked from the clock, those hopes and dreams all but evaporated.
Driving home on I-71, my son-in-law and I discussed the game, lamented the loss and talked about how things might have been different. We were both disappointed and frustrated but when I tuned into a Columbus post-game radio show, I was appalled to hear the hosts, two nincompoops, who were quite literally screeching, pointing fingers, demanding accountability for the loss and all but calling for the guillotine for at least one OSU assistant coach.
It struck me just how kooky those radio jocks sounded because I take a back seat to nobody as an Ohio State fan. I’m from central-Ohio and while I don’t live and die for the Buckeyes, my scarlet blood more than likely contains more than just a hint of gray. I’ve been known to have taken some Buckeye losses pretty hard: the Michigan State game of 1998 and the 2006 national championship loss to Florida both come to mind as vivid examples. Yet, I’ve never really been one of those fans who comes completely unhinged over the result of a game because…well, they’re just games – not life or death tragedies.
You want a tragedy? See Paris, where that single act of terrorism impacted, indeed, transformed the lives of all of the families and friends of those murdered and injured – not to mention the collateral damage to the psyche of a nation. Now that’s a tragedy.
On a more personal level, we see families every day here at Arlington confronting the loss of, and saying final goodbyes to, someone they love dearly. These are life-altering events: some send shock waves through a country, indeed, around the world; others shatter families. But the one commonality is that they are truly tragedies on one scale or another.
While the bookies of the world may have a different take, a loss on a Saturday afternoon might be disappointing, but it’s certainly not a tragedy.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
Monday, November 16, 2015
We Are All Parisians
By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
Lest we doubted it, evil does exist. Acting out of a deep-seated hatred that is far beyond comprehension for most of us, terrorists coordinated and carried out a brutal attack this past Friday evening in Paris killing over 120 and injuring well over 300. Many of those injured are critical and the death toll will likely rise. The City of Light roils in the darkness that is known as fear, confusion and pain.
Setting aside all of the political implications, there are lessons in the aftermath of this hideous event. It forces us to make a choice between looking or looking away. The more comfortable choice is for us to take note, lament, but then look away. After all, while it’s a tragedy, it’s a European tragedy - we weren’t directly affected. However, while that might be an altogether understandable reaction, it would actually only blur reality, a reality that calls upon us to focus on our own vulnerabilities, our own mortality and the utter wickedness of this attack.
So, instead of looking away, we need to look and look hard. We need to confront the brutal truth that life is unpredictable and frequently teeters back and forth between the polar opposites of comfort and pain. Whether you’re a believer that the future is dependent on mere fate or the design of the Almighty, the truth is that the next moment, or the moments after that are decisively uncertain. What began in Paris for so many as a leisurely evening of comfort instantly and diabolically flipped to pain.
The pain of Paris is in fact the pain of humanity. As our oldest ally, a residual of mutual respect and affection exists between America and France even if our differences sometimes get in the way. At this troubling moment, Americans need to rally in support of the French people - to share in their pain; to mourn for their dead; and to pray for their injured.
And, to unequivocally declare that…We Are All Parisians.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
Lest we doubted it, evil does exist. Acting out of a deep-seated hatred that is far beyond comprehension for most of us, terrorists coordinated and carried out a brutal attack this past Friday evening in Paris killing over 120 and injuring well over 300. Many of those injured are critical and the death toll will likely rise. The City of Light roils in the darkness that is known as fear, confusion and pain.
Setting aside all of the political implications, there are lessons in the aftermath of this hideous event. It forces us to make a choice between looking or looking away. The more comfortable choice is for us to take note, lament, but then look away. After all, while it’s a tragedy, it’s a European tragedy - we weren’t directly affected. However, while that might be an altogether understandable reaction, it would actually only blur reality, a reality that calls upon us to focus on our own vulnerabilities, our own mortality and the utter wickedness of this attack.
The pain of Paris is in fact the pain of humanity. As our oldest ally, a residual of mutual respect and affection exists between America and France even if our differences sometimes get in the way. At this troubling moment, Americans need to rally in support of the French people - to share in their pain; to mourn for their dead; and to pray for their injured.
And, to unequivocally declare that…We Are All Parisians.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Helping you “Survive the Holidays”
By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
Ready or not, here they come. It’s November and Thanksgiving is, as they say, right around the corner. For many of us, the gross and incessant commercialization of the next several weeks will be an irritant and a distinct turn off; but, for those of you who have recently lost a loved one, the celebration of the upcoming trinity of holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, might be a dreadful thought for an altogether different reason.
The holidays are deeply embedded with joy as a central theme but it is extremely difficult to feel joyful when you are confronted by absence. The absence of a loved-one, that terrible feeling of loss and vacancy can be most poignant during the holidays, serving to frame them not with joy but with a sense of negativity, sadness and perhaps even bitterness. And, therefore, as the days of the season inevitably transition into weeks, survival is a deeply troubling personal challenge. I once heard a husband of a recently deceased spouse comment that he would have liked to have fallen asleep a few days before Thanksgiving and then reawaken on January 2nd when the hoopla had ended. Of course, if we lived in a mythical world that might be the ideal fast forward fix. Unfortunately, as we all know, that is merely a fantasy that has nothing to do with reality.
In the real world, we have to find other, more proactive ways to survive the holidays. That’s not an easy assignment given the fact that so often our overwhelming impulse is to burrow deeply within ourselves perhaps as an effort to deny or escape. When my father passed away, I witnessed first-hand the harsh effects of sorrow. While dealing with my own deep sense of loss, I watched as my mother sunk into a self-imposed isolation that lasted for months. As a product of an earlier era, she felt obligated to deal with her grief by keeping things to herself. All well and good, I suppose, but it was also the perfect prescription for empowering the grief, allowing it to control her.
A healthier approach is to confront the grief by acknowledging it and taking action. Of course, taking action and grief do not automatically go hand-in-hand and in fact are frequently at odds with each other. And so the real challenge to surviving the holidays is understanding just how to take action. Fortunately, we have a program here at Arlington that can help. It’s very cleverly titled “Surviving the Holidays After a Loss.”
Facilitated by Dr. Barbara Steffens, this free 2 hour seminar will focus on helping attendees get through the holiday season by following a few simple, but important techniques that will empower and prepare them for what is to come in the next several weeks. But let me be clear here: this seminar is most assuredly not a panacea for survival. It provides themes – things to think about and do as the holidays approach. You’ll still need to provide the follow-through. Yet, without question though, the first and perhaps the most important step will be attending the seminar. We hope you’ll plan on attending. I promise: you won’t regret being there.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
The holidays are deeply embedded with joy as a central theme but it is extremely difficult to feel joyful when you are confronted by absence. The absence of a loved-one, that terrible feeling of loss and vacancy can be most poignant during the holidays, serving to frame them not with joy but with a sense of negativity, sadness and perhaps even bitterness. And, therefore, as the days of the season inevitably transition into weeks, survival is a deeply troubling personal challenge. I once heard a husband of a recently deceased spouse comment that he would have liked to have fallen asleep a few days before Thanksgiving and then reawaken on January 2nd when the hoopla had ended. Of course, if we lived in a mythical world that might be the ideal fast forward fix. Unfortunately, as we all know, that is merely a fantasy that has nothing to do with reality.
In the real world, we have to find other, more proactive ways to survive the holidays. That’s not an easy assignment given the fact that so often our overwhelming impulse is to burrow deeply within ourselves perhaps as an effort to deny or escape. When my father passed away, I witnessed first-hand the harsh effects of sorrow. While dealing with my own deep sense of loss, I watched as my mother sunk into a self-imposed isolation that lasted for months. As a product of an earlier era, she felt obligated to deal with her grief by keeping things to herself. All well and good, I suppose, but it was also the perfect prescription for empowering the grief, allowing it to control her.
A healthier approach is to confront the grief by acknowledging it and taking action. Of course, taking action and grief do not automatically go hand-in-hand and in fact are frequently at odds with each other. And so the real challenge to surviving the holidays is understanding just how to take action. Fortunately, we have a program here at Arlington that can help. It’s very cleverly titled “Surviving the Holidays After a Loss.”
Facilitated by Dr. Barbara Steffens, this free 2 hour seminar will focus on helping attendees get through the holiday season by following a few simple, but important techniques that will empower and prepare them for what is to come in the next several weeks. But let me be clear here: this seminar is most assuredly not a panacea for survival. It provides themes – things to think about and do as the holidays approach. You’ll still need to provide the follow-through. Yet, without question though, the first and perhaps the most important step will be attending the seminar. We hope you’ll plan on attending. I promise: you won’t regret being there.
SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS AFTER A LOSS
The Arlington Community Room
Saturday, November 14, 10 AM – 12 Noon
Please RSVP to Lisa McClain at 521-7003 or e-mail lisa.m@amgardens.org
(This is a seminar, not group therapy. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact but you will not be asked or required to speak or share.)
The Arlington Community Room
Saturday, November 14, 10 AM – 12 Noon
Please RSVP to Lisa McClain at 521-7003 or e-mail lisa.m@amgardens.org
(This is a seminar, not group therapy. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact but you will not be asked or required to speak or share.)
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Let's Celebrate Labor Day and Salute the Efforts of of U.S. Workers
By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
This
coming Monday our office is closed. It’s
a day off and of course everyone appreciates one of those. But, as we all prepare for the day away from
work – placing signs in our doors and recording the appropriate messages for
our voice mail, I wonder how many people really understand just what Labor Day
is all about.
While
there’s no doubt that many, perhaps most, people understand that Labor Day is in
some way connected to “labor,” I can’t help but think that the actual awareness
is somewhat vague and fuzzy. If that is
the case, then many of us are missing out on appreciating the full richness of
what the day is intended to represent: the celebration of the efforts of U. S.
workers who have added to our nation’s mosaic of economic, political and social
greatness.
Why is Labor
Day observed in September? Well, New
York City workers unions were growing in the decades following the Civil War
and they chose to hold a conference on the first Monday in September, 1882
because it was halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving. By 1887 the first Labor Day holiday was signed
into law in Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Oregon and in
1894, Congress declared the first Monday in September as Labor Day.
Some
people and even some commentators tend to ridicule the acknowledgement of Labor
Day as simply kowtowing to power of labor unions and suggest that to offset
Labor Day, we should adopt a day of recognition for managers, administrators or
capitalists. Yes, it’s true that
collectively unions have been the central actor in the history of the labor
movement; however, I don’t see it as an either/or proposition. Nor do I think that one needs to be a member
of a union – or for that matter, even sympathetic to the cause of unions, to fully
appreciate the importance of workers and the role they have played in the
development of this country.
Here
at Arlington, we acknowledge the role of all of our own “workers” leading the
way for us to “make a difference that matters.” But I’d like to pay a special tribute to the members of our Interment
Services & Grounds Maintenance Team. These employees are the ones who deal directly with the difficult, and
sometimes daunting, weather conditions that enable us, as an organization, to
provide services to the community and to those families we are so honored to
serve. From the hottest, most humid, dog
days of summer to those bitterly cold days of winter, they persevere and
serve. And so it is on this Labor Day that
we acknowledge and honor all of the hard “workers” here at Arlington and all
across America.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
Monday, August 3, 2015
Committal Shelters Provide Alternative to Graveside Services
By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
Safety and liability concerns have prompted some cemeteries to develop alternatives to traditional graveside committal services. In its place cemeteries have built “committal shelters,” permanent structures where families gather for the invocation of “final rights” prior to the burial. Families are then required to wait for the burial to be completed before they are permitted to visit the actual gravesite.
While this alternative is certainly not new or novel, it is far from the norm for the vast majority of cemeteries throughout the country. In fact, despite the rise of final disposition alternatives – most notably cremation, many if not most families are predisposed to the practice of gathering at the graveside for the committal service.
And so, while it may run counter to the public’s expectations, cemeteries can hardly be blamed for considering alternatives given the heightened awareness of safety, risk management and the enormous potential exposure that could result from an unforeseen injury. As has been well documented over and again, even the most safety-conscious organizations are subject to freakish accidents: perhaps it’s that one in a thousand accident that wreaks financial havoc.
Recently, when one of Montana’s veteran’s cemeteries built a committal shelter and attempted to strictly limit the location of committal services to the shelter, there was a public outcry that convinced Montana’s governor, Steve Bullock, to issue a counter-directive permitting graveside services upon request.
Here at Arlington, we have retained the tradition by allowing families to hold committal services at the graveside because we believe that most people are loath to break with tradition. What do you think? Is holding the committal service at the graveside an important and worthy tradition?
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
Safety and liability concerns have prompted some cemeteries to develop alternatives to traditional graveside committal services. In its place cemeteries have built “committal shelters,” permanent structures where families gather for the invocation of “final rights” prior to the burial. Families are then required to wait for the burial to be completed before they are permitted to visit the actual gravesite.
While this alternative is certainly not new or novel, it is far from the norm for the vast majority of cemeteries throughout the country. In fact, despite the rise of final disposition alternatives – most notably cremation, many if not most families are predisposed to the practice of gathering at the graveside for the committal service.
Recently, when one of Montana’s veteran’s cemeteries built a committal shelter and attempted to strictly limit the location of committal services to the shelter, there was a public outcry that convinced Montana’s governor, Steve Bullock, to issue a counter-directive permitting graveside services upon request.
Here at Arlington, we have retained the tradition by allowing families to hold committal services at the graveside because we believe that most people are loath to break with tradition. What do you think? Is holding the committal service at the graveside an important and worthy tradition?
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Memorial Day Message: Zest For Change Takes a Holiday as We Remember
By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
Americans have always enjoyed the great good fortune of inhabiting an expansive continent possessing remarkable and abundant natural resources. Unfortunately, over time abundance has borne a deep-seated culture of carelessness that is particularly evident in how we treat our air, land and water.
But the carelessness doesn’t end with our natural resources. We are, in fact, often careless with our traditions, frequently giving in to our collective national zest for change. After all, while this may be the home of the free and the brave, our willingness to welcome change is almost as American as apple pie.
Change tends to replace beliefs, practices and expectations. Although societal change has occurred throughout history, the fundamental belief in innovation is a relatively new phenomenon of just the past few hundred years. And, thanks to today’s highly organized, not to mention obsessive, pursuit of technological innovation and the culture it creates, change is more rapid and welcome in America than at any other previous period of time, a result that means that traditions and values – like technology itself, have a very short shelf life. As a matter of fact, it might be said that in earlier times change replaced traditions; but, today’s hyper-speed pace results in change replacing change.
There’s no question that change is all around us and that it’s a part of our culture. We live with it and we adapt. And yet we can hold out hope that Americans recognize that some values are sacrosanct. Honoring and remembering those who have given their lives for our country is one such value. Memorial Day is a time set-aside from the all too normal turbulence and churn of everyday living in America. It’s one of those rare opportunities when we come together as a nation in the spirit of remembering.
Here at Arlington, where remembering is our business, we hope we can help to preserve and embellish the impulse to remember and honor those who have paid the ultimate price.We invite you to join us on Sunday, May 25th beginning at 11:00 AM for our "Lunch With a Veteran” picnic, compliments of Arlington, and then at 1:00 PM for our annual Flag Raising Ceremony. Our ceremony this year features the Wesley Werner American Legion Post #513 and author, speaker and veteran’s activist Dan Perkins. Please plan on attending one or both of these meaningful events.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
Americans have always enjoyed the great good fortune of inhabiting an expansive continent possessing remarkable and abundant natural resources. Unfortunately, over time abundance has borne a deep-seated culture of carelessness that is particularly evident in how we treat our air, land and water.
But the carelessness doesn’t end with our natural resources. We are, in fact, often careless with our traditions, frequently giving in to our collective national zest for change. After all, while this may be the home of the free and the brave, our willingness to welcome change is almost as American as apple pie.
There’s no question that change is all around us and that it’s a part of our culture. We live with it and we adapt. And yet we can hold out hope that Americans recognize that some values are sacrosanct. Honoring and remembering those who have given their lives for our country is one such value. Memorial Day is a time set-aside from the all too normal turbulence and churn of everyday living in America. It’s one of those rare opportunities when we come together as a nation in the spirit of remembering.
Here at Arlington, where remembering is our business, we hope we can help to preserve and embellish the impulse to remember and honor those who have paid the ultimate price.We invite you to join us on Sunday, May 25th beginning at 11:00 AM for our "Lunch With a Veteran” picnic, compliments of Arlington, and then at 1:00 PM for our annual Flag Raising Ceremony. Our ceremony this year features the Wesley Werner American Legion Post #513 and author, speaker and veteran’s activist Dan Perkins. Please plan on attending one or both of these meaningful events.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Lincoln and APRIL 15 Remind Us to Remember
By Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
April 15 is epical to American’s today because it is known as “tax day,” the deadline to file, and often pay, tax obligations to the federal, state and local governments, respectively. In fact, it’s taken on the patina of one of the most dreaded days of the year.
But, to earlier generations of Americans, April 15 held significance and was remembered for a more somber reason: it is the date of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. In fact, to this day, American calendars still carry the date as a day of special observance – with particular emphasis this year, the 150th anniversary of that dark and long since mythological event in our collective history.
The imaginary and mythical proportions of the Lincoln death, as deeply interesting as they are, need not be discussed here. Furthermore, what does the assassination of Lincoln have to do with Arlington, or any cemetery for that matter? It’s a good question. The answer lies not in the event itself, but instead in the fact that we, homo sapiens, have a profound desire, perhaps even an impulse, to remember and to be remembered. And, remembering and memorialization is in fact what cemeteries are all about.
There is no denying the fact that there have been shifts in our culture related to funeral rituals. Funerals are not necessarily funerals; they’ve become “life celebrations.” Memorial services are often “personalized” events frequently led by “celebrants” rather than priests, ministers or rabbis. Cremation, merely a blip on the radar 50 years ago, is now widely accepted as the preferred final wish. There’s no question that things have changed. But, if so, what has wrought those changes?
We shouldn’t be surprised: time moves on and cultures change and evolve. But, like so many other societal changes of the past 50 years or so, the “baby boomers” are leading the charge for change. In the 1960’s, the average age was right around 25. Those are the people now leaving us but they were among the first generation en masse to expect a college education. They grew up watching TV (albeit black and white), shrieked at the Beatles, grew long hair, joined cults and smoked pot. They marched in favor of civil rights and against war but always to the beat of a different drum – and that’s how they’re leaving us: in their own style and in their own way. Except, that is, for one facet: like everyone else, they want to be remembered.
Cemeteries, like most other institutions in America, have transitioned away from their traditional past in recent years – responding to the pressures that society has imposed. These often large green spaces that were once almost always reverentially peaceful and quiet are now full of activities. For example, Arlington sponsors Easter Egg Hunts, summer concerts, fall festivals, a walking club and other activities and events that bring people to the grounds for numerous reasons other than death. Yet, at its core, Arlington endures as a place of memories. The grounds are active with visitors every day – here to do one thing and one thing only: remember. For those people, the cemetery represents something of an umbilical cord for their memories – a place that nurtures those memories.
As another milestone anniversary date of Lincoln’s assassination passes into history, and as we approach Mother’s Day and the mother of all days of remembrance – Memorial Day, we need to remind ourselves that cemeteries are not some macabre place to avoid, but a place for us to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have borne us, raised us, loved us, taught us and influenced us.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens
April 15 is epical to American’s today because it is known as “tax day,” the deadline to file, and often pay, tax obligations to the federal, state and local governments, respectively. In fact, it’s taken on the patina of one of the most dreaded days of the year.
But, to earlier generations of Americans, April 15 held significance and was remembered for a more somber reason: it is the date of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. In fact, to this day, American calendars still carry the date as a day of special observance – with particular emphasis this year, the 150th anniversary of that dark and long since mythological event in our collective history.
There is no denying the fact that there have been shifts in our culture related to funeral rituals. Funerals are not necessarily funerals; they’ve become “life celebrations.” Memorial services are often “personalized” events frequently led by “celebrants” rather than priests, ministers or rabbis. Cremation, merely a blip on the radar 50 years ago, is now widely accepted as the preferred final wish. There’s no question that things have changed. But, if so, what has wrought those changes?
We shouldn’t be surprised: time moves on and cultures change and evolve. But, like so many other societal changes of the past 50 years or so, the “baby boomers” are leading the charge for change. In the 1960’s, the average age was right around 25. Those are the people now leaving us but they were among the first generation en masse to expect a college education. They grew up watching TV (albeit black and white), shrieked at the Beatles, grew long hair, joined cults and smoked pot. They marched in favor of civil rights and against war but always to the beat of a different drum – and that’s how they’re leaving us: in their own style and in their own way. Except, that is, for one facet: like everyone else, they want to be remembered.
Cemeteries, like most other institutions in America, have transitioned away from their traditional past in recent years – responding to the pressures that society has imposed. These often large green spaces that were once almost always reverentially peaceful and quiet are now full of activities. For example, Arlington sponsors Easter Egg Hunts, summer concerts, fall festivals, a walking club and other activities and events that bring people to the grounds for numerous reasons other than death. Yet, at its core, Arlington endures as a place of memories. The grounds are active with visitors every day – here to do one thing and one thing only: remember. For those people, the cemetery represents something of an umbilical cord for their memories – a place that nurtures those memories.
As another milestone anniversary date of Lincoln’s assassination passes into history, and as we approach Mother’s Day and the mother of all days of remembrance – Memorial Day, we need to remind ourselves that cemeteries are not some macabre place to avoid, but a place for us to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have borne us, raised us, loved us, taught us and influenced us.
Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association. He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.
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